Fate is a Cruel Harpy
by Hawkins
Summary: Edward is haunted by girls with chocolate eyes and mahogany hair. Fate is toying with his heart as he is drawn to these girls, and eventually loses them. As a creature of eternity, how many times can you get your heart broken before it cannot be mended?
1. Chapter 1

AN:// I can't get away from stories about Edward's past. Here is a different take on his past, and showing that his long life was meant to be with Bella. For similar stories, I would suggest reading my other fic, Bakers Chocolate, or Marykat's Destiny of Dreams. **Please take the time and review**. It's 5 seconds of your life, but it means a lot to me and fellow writers. It's disheartening to see 100 hits for every one review.

I want to thank Verolina, Marykat, and Scarlet Paige for beta reading for me. Their feedback really helped this story form.

Disclaimer : Stephenie Meyers owns Twilight. I am simply borrowing her characters to enhance this story.

ENJOY!

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Fate can be cruel in many ways. This occasion, I laughed at her twisted irony. It all began at the dinner table one night, in 1918. My parents and I were sitting at the table, enjoying a meal my mother had prepared. I was seventeen at the time, and did everything I possibly could to please my parents. They had given me so much, it was the least I could do for them.

"Edward, would you mind stopping at the office after school tomorrow? We're working on a big case, and an extra set of eyes and hands would be appreciated," my father had asked at dinner one night. He was one of the leading lawyers in Chicago, and provided for our family handsomely. It was his dream for me to go to law school and follow in his footsteps. I could always tell when he was thinking about me joining the firm, and this was one of those times. His eyes became glossed over, and a slight smile would tug at the edges of his mouth.

"Certainly Father," I answered, nodding in his direction. "I would be honored to assist."

My doting mother reached across the table for my hand, and gave it a little squeeze. She was glowing with pride for the man I was becoming. I knew I would choose the dreams they had for me over the ones I had for myself. Honestly, what kind of life could a musician have in this world? Eternal bachelorhood. Now as a lawyer, I would be able to have a stable home for a wife and children. Maybe even a dog in the backyard. I always wanted a dog.

The next day, I had shown up at my father's office as he had requested. They needed help with filing and briefs, simple tasks for someone of my intelligence. While I wasn't quite interested in any of the tasks I was assigned, I performed them willingly and diligently. At least I did, until she walked in.

"Excuse me," I heard a quiet, feminine voice ask. I looked up from the file I was reading through and was met by a deep set of chocolate brown eyes, shielded behind a curtain of dark lashes. "Could you tell me where I could find Charles Strough?"

She was exquisite. I was unable to speak as I marveled in her beauty. I couldn't even tell you what she was wearing because I couldn't take my eyes away from hers. As silence hung between us, a blush started to fill her cheeks. The reddening of her face was endearing. I think my voice had been paralyzed, words were refusing to touch my lips. She shook her head slightly, causing her mahogany hair to cover her face in embarrassment.

"Charles Strough, please?" She asked again, casting her eyes to the ground so I could no longer stare into them.

"Oh yes," I coughed, regaining my voice. "If you would follow me," I offered her my arm as an escort, but not because that is what a gentleman does for a fine lady of this caliber; I just wanted to feel her touch. As she laid her hand upon mine, an electric shiver shot through my body. I had hoped she would not have noticed, but as I caught her eye again, I saw another blush start to creep into her cheeks. She looked away quickly, watching her feet as we walked through the office as if each step needed to be taken carefully. A million thoughts ran through my head on our short journey. I even had contemplated taking her in the wrong direction, so I could steal a few extra moments of her presence. I wanted to learn more about her. I wanted to learn everything about her for that matter.

"Edward, my boy!" I heard my father shout boisterously when we entered the large conference room where they lawyers had set up shop. The case must be going well if he is this cheerful. Charles had looked up as well and smiled brightly when he caught sight of the angel on my arm.

"Helen, dear, what are you doing here?" Charles asked, standing up from his seat and walking over to the two of us. Helen, the perfect name for this girl. Like Helen of Troy, she had a face that could launch armies to fight for her. I would be on the front lines for her honor. If all of the American soldiers saw her face, and were told they were fighting this war for her, we would certainly win.

"I needed to speak with you for just a moment, Father," she said quickly, dropping her hand from mine and taking his. "I will not keep you for long." She added.

"Is everything alright?" He ushered her out of the room, and out of hearing range.

"How is your day going, son?"

I snapped out of my daze when I heard my father's voice. Unconsciously, my body was straining towards the door Helen just walked out of. It was strange, as if my body had some kind of magnetic pull for her, urging to be next to her.

"It has been a good day, father." I answered, because I did not think 'i_t has gotten so much better since I met the girl I'm going to marry'_ was what he wanted to hear.

"You have helped out enough for tonight, why don't you go home and keep your mother company. You know she likes hearing you play while she's cooking." He clapped his hand on my shoulder, his signal for a job well done. I wanted to stay until Helen and her father reemerged and eased my worrying. Why am I worried about a girl I just met five minutes ago?

"As you wish, Father. When should I tell Mother that we'll be expecting you?" Maybe they would still be out in the hallway, and I could offer my assistance to her. There must be something going on for her to show up at his place of employment and interrupt. Though I hadn't even introduced myself to her. I have always gotten along well with her father, and since my father is his boss, that should work in my favor for our courtship. Why am I already thinking about courting her? This is going far too fast for my liking.

"Shortly, just a few details we need to go over before we can all go home to our families."

I nodded in response, but was eager to leave and see Helen again. I grabbed my jacket and quickly followed the path the two had taken moments before. They were conversing quietly in the hall, Helen obviously looking distressed. My chivalry instinct wanted to kick in, but was quickly trounced by my need to be polite.

"Good evening, Mr. Strough. Good evening, Miss Strough." I bowed my head to both of them, but let my eyes linger on Helen. She kept my gaze locked in hers, and I believed for a moment that I never wanted to wake up to anything else in the morning but her beautiful face. She closed her eyes, and let her hair fall across her face again. Edward, staring is not polite, I reminded myself. As I began to walk away, their hushed voices started up again.

That evening, I contemplated what I would need to do to gain her favor. I was laying on my bed, staring at the ceiling in a daze. I had never met a girl that held my interest like this, and I hadn't even spoken with her. I was being very shallow, judging this girl solely on her looks. But someone this beautiful had to be intriguing. She couldn't be like all of the other girls at school, who grin and giggle to themselves as I walk by, and couldn't hold a thought in their head for more than a second.

If I helped out at the firm more, there could be more chance meetings. I would try to gain her father's respect first. Maybe he would invite me over for dinner.

"Edward?" I heard my father's voice call me from the entrance way. I jumped off my bed and descended the staircase to see what he needed.

"Yes, Father?"

"I hate to ask you for another favor after all your hard work today at the firm, but would you mind granting me another one?" he asked.

"Certainly Father, anything you wish." I reassured him. I couldn't say no to my parents, I wasn't raised that way.

"Do you remember Charles' daughter that came in today? Helen?"

Do I remember her? The more appropriate question would be if I could ever forget her. I nodded a response, a little afraid I would blurt something embarrassing if I dared to speak.

"Well, it seems that her escort for the debutante ball has come down with that flu that's going around. Charles asked if you would mind being her escort? I think it would really help your chances to get into the firm."

I swallowed hard. I needed to choose my words carefully, so I didn't sound too eager. I felt like jumping up and down like a maniac and hugging my father for this opportunity.

"I would be honored to escort Miss Strough." There, that sounded intelligent enough. Not the pathetic love sick puppy I felt like I was.

"Good, I'll tell Charles tomorrow and will provide you with the details as I know them."

Days passed quickly until I saw Helen again. It was the day of the debutante ball, and I was walking to her house to escort her. It took a lot of self control to not skip down the streets as giddy as I felt. I had stopped at the florist on the way and bought her a bouquet and a corsage. The decision of what to get her took a long time, as I wanted to send the right message too her. Not too subtle, but definitely not too strong. I wasn't sure if she knew the meanings of certain flowers, but I would certainly explain them to her if she wished.

I reached her doorstep, and my heart started to pound loudly against my chest. The bachelor button pinned to my lapel was certainly appropriate at the moment. I knocked on the door quickly, taking in a deep calming breath.

What I wasn't expecting was for Helen to open the door herself.

"Hello, Mr. Masen." She greeted, stepping aside to let me in. Everything that I had prepared to say to her flew out of my brain. I stared at her speechless.

"Are those for me?" She asked, gesturing to the flowers in my hand. I felt like an idiot, standing there like a mute.

"Oh yes here," I handed her the bouquet. She took them quickly and looked down at the flowers. The blush in her cheeks started to darken as she took notice to the variety of flowers in the bouquet.

"Shall we go?" She asked, reaching for her shawl.

"Shouldn't I speak with your parents? Assure them that you'll be safe with me?" I asked, a bit shocked at her wanting to go so quickly. "Or find out what time we will be meeting them?"

"They are busy at the moment."

"We can wait."

"Let's not." She grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the door. I looked down at her and met her pleading eyes. She desperately wanted to get out of the house. But why?

"Do you not want to put the flowers in water?" I asked, helping her put the shawl around her shoulders.

"No, I want to take them with me. Did you pick out the flowers yourself?"

"Yes, I did."

"Even more of a reason that I should take them with me," she said slyly, stepping through the front door and out onto the street.

~*~*~

Thanks for reading. **AND REMEMBER TO REVIEW!** I will post the next chapter soon.


	2. Chapter 2

"What do you mean?" I asked, quickly following her. I didn't like not knowing what people were trying to say. Why should she have to take the flowers with her? She continued to walk, a little smirk playing on her lips.

"Well," she paused waiting for me to catch up. I offered her my arm and started to direct the two of us towards the ball. "My mother has taught me the meanings of flowers. Do you know that each flower has a different message to the recipient?" The way she glanced up at me told me that I was caught. She knew everything.

"Yes, I may have heard that before." I gulped.

"For instance, this purple heather means admiration and beauty. The white Camilla says that you think I'm adorable. And this apricot blossom means love at first sight."

"No it doesn't. It means timid love. The gloxinia means love at first sight." The words escaped my mouth before I stop myself. I looked down at her, horrified that I just let myself slip up like that. The wide smile on her face made me feel very self conscious.

"Ha, I knew it. You're clever, Mr. Masen." She pulled herself closer to me, the electric shock overtaking my body again.

"Please call me Edward."

"Alright. So, Edward, are you as timid as your flowers say you are?"

"Only around you Ms. Strough."

"Helen," she corrected me. We rounded the corner of where the ball was taking place. There was a crowd of nicely dressed couples standing outside, chatting with each other in a twitter of excitement.

"Are you ready to be debuted to the socialites of Chicago, Helen?" I asked her. She had stopped walking, staring at the group ahead of her.

"Not particularly." She said quietly.

"Why?" I looked down at her and saw that she looked nervous, biting her lower lip. She must not want to go in front of the crowd. Or maybe it had to do with the fact that I was not her original escort.

"Does this have anything to do with me being your escort?"

She met my gaze and nodded. "Yes, the other girls were not understanding of my decision. They felt like I was abandoning William in his illness."

"What did they expect you to do? Go alone?" I did not know of her history with William, or any of these girls for that matter. I was a biased party in this situation, quite glad to be the one at her side.

"No, they expected me not to come at all."

"Well, what would you like to do?" It was her decision after all, whether she wanted to go inside or not. I was not going to force her to do anything she did not wish. She paused in deliberation, weighing all of her options in her mind.

"I want to go in. There is nothing I can do for William now." She started to lead me towards the building, pass the hushed voices of the other debutantes, and into the great ballroom. I was happy to see that her confidence had come back. I stood behind her as she went to check in.

"Where is your father, Ms. Strough?" An elderly woman asked. Her lips were pursed, giving her a sour expression.

"My father? What concern is that of yours?" Helen asked. I slipped my hand in hers as I sensed her strength wavering. This must be very hard for her to be here, so many of her peers judging her for wanting to be happy. I, however, would kill to see her smile at me.

"Well, he is the one that will be presenting you to the ball. We cannot have you just walking in by yourself."

"Excuse me, madam," I stepped in front of Helen, wanting to shield her from this woman's negativity. "Mr. Strough has asked for me to fill in for him. There was an urgent matter that needed to be addressed. He's quite disappointed that he could not be here for his beautiful daughter."

The woman seemed to be taken back a bit by me. She took one glance at me, and then towards Helen. I wouldn't break eye contact with her, no matter how much I wished to see Helen's reaction to me. I hope that she was blushing. Her red cheeks just enhanced her beauty.

"Alright, I guess that will do." She gestured for us to pass, moving on to the next young debutant.

"Thank you, Edward. That was very courageous of you." Helen said sweetly, wrapping her arm around mine again. I never wanted to leave her embrace. Her presence was intoxicating.

"The pleasure is all mine, Helen. But, if you do not mind me asking, what pressing engagement has kept your father and mother from being here for you? They must realize how important of a day this is."

"It's a story you would probably rather not hear."

"I will listen to anything you wish to tell me, even if it's just reciting a grocery list." This little endearment caused her to chuckle.

"Well, William's parents were at the house when you came to pick me up. They were discussing how improper it was for me to be introduced with an escort that wasn't their son. They obviously don't approve, and neither did my parents. They are on the same opinion as the girls, thinking I should stay home, or be at his bedside."

I let this soak in for a bit. It was soon her turn to be presented. I was glowing with pride as I walked her through the ballroom. She wasn't even mine, but as long as her hand was on my arm, I let myself believe it. Her chocolate eyes sparkled as she smiled at the room. Her comments were still swimming around my head, and it wasn't until we started dancing that I finally let myself blurt out my thoughts.

"If your father didn't approve, why did he ask my father if I would escort you?" I asked. My question made her blush, and dip her head in embarrassment. She spun around the dance floor with me gracefully. She was the most gorgeous debutante here, and I was sure she was at the envy of them all.

"Actually, I asked your father, saying that it was my father's idea. He was quite upset with me when your father came in giddy that you would be taking me and asking for the details of the ball."

"And why did you want me to escort you, when you have William?"

"I loved William, we had been courting until he got sick. The doctor says it's the Spanish Influenza. Very few people survive it. After hearing that, William told me I needed to find someone that made me happy, and that I couldn't see him anymore. The longer I would spend with him, the more likely I will catch it as well. When I visited him yesterday, Dr. Cullen said he would only have a couple more days. He wasn't even conscious of his surroundings anymore. "

"That seems like a reasonable decision to me. But why did you pick me? And not someone else?"

"Well," she blushed again, "you are quite attractive. And when we met, I just felt something was there. I can't really explain it. I could tell there is a lot more to you than a nervous boy who trips over his tongue when he sees me."

"I understand." Because I felt the exact same way. Feeling love so quickly did not happen every day. There was something between us, and I never wanted to give her up. "Tell me more about William."

When she talked of him, with so much caring, it squeezed my heart. I had expected to not hear from her again. Sadly, I started to believe that I was only a fill in date for the evening. Could a little thing like the flu keep her from that kind of love? But the next morning, there was a flower in the mailbox. Sweet pea. I took the pink flower in my hand, and took a deep breath of its aroma. Thanks for a lovely time. Through the flower, she was letting me know that she at least enjoyed herself for the evening. I ran up the stairs to my bedroom, looking for the flora book that I used to pick out Helen's bouquet.

William had died that night. I delivered a sympathy bouquet in person, wanting to see her again in person. I picked out flowers that would show her that I would support her through this tough time: peonies for healing, geraniums for friendship, a white hyacinth for prayer, and one white rose slipped into the middle for charm and innocence.

Helen had answered the door herself, her parents having left her alone to tend to William's parents. She led me into the sitting room, drawing a deep breath of the bouquet.

"I'm so sorry for your lost, Helen." I told her, taking her hand in mine. She smiled sweetly, but would not make eye contact with me.

"Thank you, Edward. The flowers are beautiful." She pulled the white rose out, and held it up to her nose. "Especially this one." She closed her eyes, and I saw one small tear fall onto her cheek. It broke my heart to see the drop of moisture. I reached towards her to wipe it away but she turned her head from me. "I'm sorry, but would you mind leaving? I do not think I can do this right now."

"Are you alright to be alone?" I asked, standing up as she rose from her chair.

"Yes, I'll be fine. I just need time with my thoughts." She walked me to the door and as I turned to leave she stopped me.

"I will speak with you soon, Edward." Rising on her tiptoes, she placed a gentle kiss onto my cheek. "Thank you, again." The warm touch of her lips had left me speechless on her stoop as she closed the door.

Over the next couple of weeks, we corresponded through flowers. The flowers were starting to shift from messages of friendship to love. It was with a red carnation and a small note that I knew she returned my affection.

_Edward, I never thought someone could love more than once in a lifetime. All of those old stories of finding love and living happily ever after cannot compare to what you have given me. It's through hardships that the strongest feelings survive. I love you. _

My mother began to question why my bedroom was suddenly covered in plants, varying in pinks and reds.

"They're from a dear friend." I told her, not quite ready to tell her about Helen. Luckily, my mother did not know the meanings of flowers.

It wasn't until I received a black rose did I realize something was wrong. The death flower. I quickly made my way to the Strough's residence, knocking hurriedly on their front door.

Helen answered, her face blotchy and eyes red from crying.

"What happened, my love?" I asked. She collapsed in my arms, holding onto me tightly. I lowered the two of us to the ground before she could talk.

"Father. He's caught it." She choked, the sobs starting to rack through her body again. I held her to my chest until her crying jag stopped. She was exhausted and numb. Charles had already been taken to the hospital. The doctor treating him had a grave prognosis. I carried my sleeping angel upstairs to her room, kissing her forehead before I left.

Unfortunately, this flu was like many common diseases, not showing symptoms until after a person was already infected. Helen became feverish that night and was taken to the hospital as well. My family soon followed.

She was my first love, and I had lost her. Carlisle changing me had kept me from being in heaven with my angel, but he had given me the opportunity to love again.


	3. Chapter 3

I want to thank everyone personally for their reviews. Seeing those in my inbox really gets me through the day! Please check out some of these author's works, they're fantastic.

Scarlet Paige

My Beloved

Patch138

Marykat

Eagleswings81

Verolina

~*~*~*~

After being changed into a vampire, there were many human qualities that transferred over to my new life. One being my ability to guess what people were thinking, however this turned into actually hearing people's thoughts. It was a curse. When Carlisle changed Esme and added her to our family, this part of being a vampire became unbearable. I believe that was what led me to, as Esme lovingly puts it, my teenage rebellion.

The more I had to listen to their romantic thoughts and actions, the more I hated what I was, hated this monster I had become. There was only so many books that I could occupy myself with to distract from the constant burn in my throat. But that drove me to thinking. Why should I deprive myself from my true nature? Carlisle's way of abstinence was not the only way to survive. In our journey to Wisconsin we had run into a group of vampires that drank human blood. Carlisle tried to convince them to change their ways, but they had just laughed at them.

"I'm leaving," I announced to Carlisle and Esme one night. They were sitting on the couch together, leaning against one another for support. Both of their thoughts of concern ran through my mind.

_Why, Edward? Have I done something wrong?_ Esme thought. She was always worried about pleasing me, making sure that her new presence in our lives didn't make me uncomfortable.

"No, it's not that. I just feel like I need to try and find myself. I've only lived this one way."

_You're going to hunt humans?_ Carlisle asked. He detached himself from Esme and came to stand in front of me. _Edward, you must not do that. Every human life is worth living. It is not who you are._

"And how do you know who I am? You make me this!" I shouted. I shouldn't be so upset with him. I know how hard it had been for him to make the decision to change me.

_I'm sorry you feel that way._ "Please think about it," he spoke. Esme came up to his side, wrapping her arm around his waist. The simple gesture made me even angrier. I had been loved, and this vampire turned me into a monster. My soul was gone, and I would never be in heaven with my angel.

"I need to leave," I said stubbornly. Carlisle nodded in response, seeing that he was not going to win this time. He wasn't my father. I owed him nothing. Esme reached her arm out for mine, pulling me into a hug.

"Please write to us and let us know how you are. We'll really miss you, and want to make sure you're happy." Esme kissed my cheek and let me leave the house.

Once I was on the street, I realized that I didn't have a plan. Where was I going to go now? Obviously a city with a large population, where a few humans disappearing would not raise alarm.

Humans. Was I really going to do this? Yes, I was. I started running, picking a random direction. The first town I reached would be where I would settle down. I wouldn't have to do the domestic charade that Carlisle has always done. I'll be like true vampires, slinking around at night, stalking their prey.

After running for several hours, I realized that my random direction was not so random to my subconscious. I was running towards Chicago. I stopped running and paused, letting my mind roam back to my life as a human; to the short time I had with Helen.

I shook my head, not letting myself focus on her. South, that was the answer, maybe somewhere along the coast. Charlotte was supposedly nice, and I still haven't tried out this swimming theory.

In light of the prohibition, speak-easies were alive and strong in Charlotte, a perfect place to find my prey. If I only preyed on those that have performed despicable actions, such as rape and murder, I would be justified in my feeding. After what I believed was a year in solitude, only feeding on those that stumbled outside the city limits into my wicked trap, I decided I needed a little social interaction and a better selection for prey. It also gave me a chance to entertain myself.

At night, I would play jazz piano in a popular speakeasy in the city. It was so popular, even the chief of police was a regular. As I let my fingers flow over the keys, I would explore the thoughts of the patrons. Tonight's crowd was a particularly rowdy bunch. There were a group of men, moonshine runners, all focused on a brunette dressed in red. Some of their thoughts were harmless, but one in the bunch was particularly gruesome. It was terrible that being a gentleman was no longer a priority of today's men.

I started to explore the thoughts of the young girl. They were fuzzy and sporadic, flitting from one thing to another. This was definitely not a place suitable for a lady, but who was I to tell her how she should live her life? The horrible man handed the girl another shot of whiskey which she swallowed without a thought. He was consumed with having her, no matter what it took. I missed a note on the keys as my hand clenched in rage. The girl's attention was pulled towards me as she heard the mistake in the music. I raised my head and met her eyes from across the room, but it was only for a second. She broke the eye contact, but I saw her smile, and I could hear her thoughts being focused on me and my music.

The speakeasy slowly started to clear out as the night carried on, and soon the only patrons left was the girl and the crude man. My band members started to pack up, bidding me a good night. The girl was still thinking about me, watching me carefully as I stopped playing. Sudden silence filled the room, and triggered the girl to notice the time. She grabbed her jacket and headed for the door. As she exited, she gave me one last smile.

"Calling it a night, Edward?" The barkeep asked as I made my way over to the counter. The moonshiner grabbed his hat and followed the girl out, no doubt about to put his plans into action.

"Yes, I believe so."

He slipped my pay for the night across the table, which I quickly pocketed, not that I needed it. I had no expenses other than clothes; a majority of my money I gave to charities.

"Stay out of trouble, kid." He winked.

I made my way out into the night, searching the streets for the moonshiner's mind. I found it quickly, heading west in quick pursuit of the girl. I followed behind him, letting my mind wrap around his. He was watching her carefully as she stumbled along the sidewalks. Her heel got stuck in a crack on the sidewalk and made her lose her shoe. The moonshiner took this as his opportunity.

"Oops," she giggled as she bent down to retrieve the heel.

"Are you alright, girly?" The man asked in his thick southern accent. His thoughts made the blood from my last feeding boil.

"Yes, sir. I am perfectly fine. Just a bit clumsy." She placed her hand on his chest to balance herself. She bent her knee up towards her hips so she could reach her foot, placing the shoe back in place. This simple movement let her short skirt rise a little more, letting the man see her garter belt. No doubt exciting him, he started to look around, trying to find a suitable place to take her. There was a dark alley a block away, where he had taken a victim once before.

"Weren't you in the bar?" She squinted up at him, trying to make out his face in the night. He was ignoring her, thinking about the last time he did this, and how…pleasurable it was to him. I growled quietly, only another vampire would have been able to hear it. She noticed how he wasn't looking at her anymore, but still his hands were on her. In her drunken state, she finally realized that this was a bad idea.

"I best be going." She said, a little fear coming across in her voice. Scoping out the streets, she wondered how fast she would be able to run away. Not in these shoes, she thought. Her heart rate accelerated as she started to walk again, heading right towards the alley he wanted to take her.

"What's the hurry, girly?" He slurred, following her. She glanced back at him over her shoulder, before starting to run. The heels flew off her feet, causing her to fall to her knees. The man grabbed her, shoving his hand over to mouth to silence her. She kicked and screamed, the loudness of her thoughts splintering through my mind, trying to overcome the muffling of her actual voice. I picked up my pace as he dragged her into the alley. She decided to bite his hand, hoping the pain would be enough to make him let her go. I smelled the blood she drew before he reacted to it.

"You little bitch," he pulled his hand from her mouth and backhanded her across the face. There is one thing you do not do, and that is to hit a woman. I ran at vampire speed and met him at the alley entrance.

"Let go of her," I growled, taking a deep breath, letting the scent of his foul blood trigger the venom. He smelled like cheap whiskey, the alcohol fermenting his blood. He threw the girl onto the ground and turned to face me.

"Get out of here, Piano Man." He laughed, thinking about my slight figure. I may look like a scrawny teenager, but the strength of a vampire was comparable to none. The girl looked up at me, tears and fright in her eyes.

"Run," I spoke to her, letting my eyes fall back on my meal for the evening. He would never hurt her, or anyone, again. Scrambling to her feet, she left without another glance at me or her assailant. Her thoughts, however, were consumed with an image of me. Standing there with the street lights as a backdrop, the little light from the alley reflecting off my blood red eyes. I appeared down-right scary.

I turned my attention back to the man. His blood would not taste good at all, but I could not risk letting him back onto the streets. The local police were worthless, not even having enough credibility to shut down a well known speakeasy. But then again, where would they get their own alcohol at?

One good thing about being a vampire was that I could let a thousand thoughts run through my head with only a moment of time passing.

"So what do you think you're going to do, kid? Play me a lullaby?"

"No," I smiled, letting him take the full effect of my sharp white teeth. "But you will sleep and never wake up again."

~*~*~*

I hope you liked this chapter. It was a lot of fun to write. Please review!

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	4. Chapter 4

Here's the next chapter! Thank you everyone for the kind reviews. I hope you check out each other's works because they are all fantastic.

As always, Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. The book quote I use in this chapter was written by Marie Carmichael Stopes.

Enjoy the chapter! Please leave feedback, those emails brighten my day. 

~*~*~*

The next morning, I was happy to see the rain had started. Looking through the rain streaked window up at the dark grey skies, I smiled. There was a storm off the coast that was supposed to keep the city in cloud cover for the next several days. It would be nice to finally be out during the day, walking around with normal humans and not the scum of the city.

Also, I needed to get more books to keep me occupied on the sunny days. As moral as a killer could be, I hated breaking into the library at night and taking books. No one had noticed yet, but I still felt guilty every time I did it.

I put on a fresh outfit, not wanting to smell like the cigarette smoke and booze from the night before. As I changed, I noticed some of the man's blood from last night also got on my pants, a couple droplets near my knee. No, I did not drink his blood. After the girl saw me last night, having his body show up drained of fluid would be suspicious. I didn't want to move on yet. The blood from his hand, courtesy of the girl's bite, had dripped on my pants as I disposed of his body.

I smiled to myself as I thought about the girl biting him. I do not believe he suspected her to fight him as she had the feisty little thing. I stopped. I shouldn't be caring about this girl. After all, she was just another moral degenerate, a victim of the generation, a loose woman haunting speakeasies and being careless. Grabbing my hat and umbrella, I headed for the Carnegie Library.

The streets were scarce of people, only a few here and there dashing inside to avoid the rain. I opened the umbrella and started to whistle a song that had been stuck in my head as I walked. Humans always smelled better in the rain, I didn't know what caused this. Maybe it just made the air heavier and let the scent linger longer. I read the thoughts of the humans who passed me, hoping to find a suitable candidate for dinner tonight.

Entering the building, I was immediately assaulted by the smell of humans. I typically did not let myself to be in such close confines unless I had the intention of feeding, but I really did wish for new reading material. There was only so many times you could read Hemingway before it became dull. Spotting a young librarian shelving books, I approached her to ask a question. She was humming a little tune in her head, oblivious to the room around her.

"Excuse me, could you point me in the direction of your," I stopped as her eyes met mine and her thoughts turned to the alley scene last night.

"You!" She gasped, dropping the books in her arms. Another librarian shushed her, giving a mean look. The girl glanced around embarrassed and began picking up the books, thinking about how humiliating this was. I reached down to help her, letting my eyes roam across her body. She was in a very conservative outfit, her arms and legs covered completely. There was no makeup on her face, just a pair of eyeglasses threatening to slip off her nose. If I hadn't seen her thoughts, I wouldn't have known this was the same girl. How could the flapper girl in the short skirt at night turn into this by daylight?

"You're a librarian?" I laughed, thinking this whole thing to be absurd. There was no way this could be the same girl. She quickly stood up and glared at me.

"Yes, I am. A girl has to make a living doesn't she?" she huffed. _Who is he to judge me? He doesn't know anything about me. _ She was about to open her mouth and say those things to me when we were interrupted by a blonde girl running towards us.

"Anna! You will not believe what I just heard," the girl rushed between the two of us, grabbing the librarian's arms. She was dressed more in the times, a flapper I recognized as being another regular at the speakeasy.

Anna, I realized this was the first time I had heard her name. She gave me a slight glance, wondering if I was going to let them have a private conversation. I nodded my head to excuse myself and walked towards the other end of the stacks.

"I just ran into that writer from the Daily Observer, and you would not believe what he told me."

"What is it, Dorothy? I need to get back to work." She continued to watch me, analyzing everything about me: my simple dress, hair style, how I stood ramrod in front of the stacks. I relaxed my posture, hoping it looked more human. Out of my peripheral vision, I analyzed her as well. She stood comfortably in her clothing, almost as comfortable as she acted in her flapper outfit.

"Ray Scott was just found washed up in Hope Creek," Dorothy gushed, putting her hands up to her mouth. Through her thoughts, I knew who Ray Scott was before Anna did, the foul man from last night.

"Who is Ray Scott?" Anna asked confused, wondering why that should be important to her. Her mind was still focused on me. Yes, I had disposed of him in Hope Creek. I snapped his neck to end it, even though I wish I had made it long and painful for him. The scene was set to look like he had hit his head on a rock, actually my fist, and drowned.

"The man that was buying you drinks all night," she said slowly. Anna's eyes opened wide with realization, and turned her head to look at me again. I kept my eyes on the books in front of me. _He couldn't have. He's a piano player, _she thought, analyzing me again. _Though he did look very intimidating last night. _

"Did he say what happened?" Anna asked, interested in seeing what I had done to her assailant.

"The police said there was alcohol in his blood. He lives down by the creek. They are theorizing that he took a walk, fell, hit his head, and fell in." Dorothy told her. Well that's convenient. I didn't know that he lived down there when I disposed of his body.

"So it was just an accident?"

"Appears so. Why?" _What else would it be? Why does she look nervous? _

"Well, you know in these hard times. This area does have a high crime rate." Anna stole a quick glance at me again. "Sugar, I need to get back to work," she said quietly. Dorothy reached over and gave her a hug.

"Will you be at the Blind Tiger tonight?" she whispered, hoping eavesdroppers wouldn't pick up on the name of the speakeasy. Anna shook her head.

"Not tonight, I'm going to stay in with the kids." Her thoughts turned to a young boy and girl, looking to be about three and seven respectfully. She didn't look old enough to have kids.

"Alright dear, the crowd will miss you tonight." Dorothy finally noticed that Anna was watching me instead of her. "Is that…the piano guy?"

"Yes, it is."

"What's he doing here?" She asked.

"Checking out books, I guess." I couldn't help but smirk at this, such a simple answer hiding so much. Has she told anyone about last night? Anna watched at Dorothy left before walking towards me.

"I'm sorry about that," she apologized. "I want to thank you for helping me." Her voice lingered at the end, as if she had more to say. I couldn't pick up on what she was going to continue with, her thoughts becoming scattered again. Looking around to see if anyone was watching us, she went to grab for my hand. At lightning speed, I pulled it away before she touched me. When her hand clenched empty air, she was confused.

"Follow me," she whispered, leading me around the stacks to a more secluded place in the library. I tried to focus on what she was thinking, but her quick secession of thoughts was going to give me a headache.

"What did you do to Ray after you told me to run?" She asked, abruptly stopping once she arrived at her destination. If it wasn't for my lightning quick reactions, I would have plowed into her and knocked her over. My granite body hitting hers could not have ended well.

"I told him he shouldn't treat women that way, and sent him on his way." I answered, hoping this would be enough of an explanation for her. It wasn't.

"You're not telling me the truth," she accused. Was it accusing if she was right?

"Well, I may have punched him." There, that was the truth. That punch was what broke his neck after all.

"He was found dead this morning, apparently," her tone was still on edge.

"If he was a better man, I would say that was a shame, but I'm afraid I can make no such sentiment."

She looked up at me, amused. "Yes, I would have to say the same thing. Thank you again, you probably saved my life last night. I'm in your debt."

"You owe me nothing. I was just doing my civic duty." And trying to find a suitable snack. "So, can you point me in the direction of your newest additions?"

_He's really changing the subject to books? I could have been killed last night, which he stopped, and he wants to know where the new books are? _

"They are up front, where you were looking, while I was speaking with Dorothy," she said slowly. _ He wasn't reading the books. I bet he was eavesdropping. But he was so far away, he couldn't have heard anything. _ Drats, I was caught.

"Oh yes, I was wondering if you had any other ones. I'm looking for something in particular." I quickly lied, grabbing the book in front of me and started reading the first page.

_The truly monogamic couple, where the man and the woman go chaste to the marriage-bed, and go through life in mutual love and respect, these feelings growing stronger as the years go by, finding full satisfaction in each other, without any desire for any other man or woman – what nobler, what more appealing ideal can one conjure up? Nor is it an utterly unrealizable ideal, for in spite of the sneers of the cynics, there are such couples, even at the present time and even in our largest Babylons. . . . _

What did I pick up? I flipped the book over and read the cover. _Married Love by Marie Carmichael Stopes. _I quickly placed the book back on the shelf, truly grateful that vampires could not blush. Turning my gaze back on Anna, I was happy to see that she had not paid attention to what I was reading.

"Really? Which author?" Why didn't I think before I opened my mouth? She reminded me of those conversations I would have with Helen. I looked down at Anna, trying to pick her brain for a name to say, but the only author I could think of was this Stopes. A little smirk played on her lips, just like Helen use to do when she caught me. I felt a slight clench at my heart as I really looked at Anna. She reminded me a lot of Helen. Same brown eyes, that only got brighter as she smiled. Her hair was the same color, that rich mahogany, but Anna's was cut in a stylish bob. Helen's body was much softer than Anna's. Anna looked like she was just skin and bones. Was she malnourished? Could be a result of a high metabolism.

"I have to go," I said quickly, unable to take this comparison to the one love of my life. I walked away, a bit faster than I should have. It didn't raise Anna's suspicions, though she was only concerned that she had done something wrong.


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry for the long time between updates. This week has been very hectic. Thanks for all of your reviews! I love getting those emails.

I'm now a member of Twilighted, so if you read fics on there too check it out. Gothic Valley Girl also made a banner for this story. The link is in my profile.

ENJOY!!!

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**CHAPTER 5**

I rushed back to my apartment, slamming the door behind me as I entered. The room was small and cluttered, nothing like the home I had with Carlisle and Esme. This was not my sanctuary, more of my prison cell. I had a small upright piano, which I played when I was in a bad mood. Since I switched to human blood, this seemed to become an everyday occurrence. Books lined the walls, and were piled in disarray around the room. Nothing here was holding my interest long enough to distract me from the feelings I was avoiding.

I couldn't let myself think about Helen. It only made this life harder. The similarities between her and Anna were uncanny. Helen's sweet face pushed through my mental blockades and I finally allowed myself to remember her. Sitting down at my upright piano, I started to compose a song, dedicated to Helen and the love that was taken away from me.

After several hours of replaying every moment I had with her, her hair started to get shorter, her face thinner, but her eyes stayed the same. Why was I thinking about Anna? What was she to me? Just another potential victim to the scum I fed upon. I had no feelings for her. She was just another human that has forgotten what morals are.

Though, the mystery behind those chocolate eyes kept my mind on her. I wanted to know why she worked at a library, and why she frequented a speakeasy, especially since she seemed to have small children at home. I needed answers to my questions; it would drive me insane if I didn't know.

The hours had passed more quickly than I thought. Once I walked outside, on my quest to find answers, the sun had already set and the night was all mine. Pulling my hat over my eyes, I scanned the minds of the Charlotte residents as I walked, searching for the one that belonged to Anna. It was ten blocks from the Blind Tiger, two from that dreadful alleyway where I finally caught her voice.

_I hope she's not getting sick. _I heard her think worriedly. Standing in front of the building, I searched the rooms, pinpointing her exact location. She was looking down at a little girl, hand pressed against her forehead.

"Can I help ya, son?" I heard a gruff voice ask. Being focused in on Anna let this man approach me without warning. I turned my head slowly, meeting eyes with the intruder. The chief of police, the same one from the bar, was walking towards me, a stern look on his face.

"No, sir. I was just passing by," I answered calmly.

"You don't look like you're passing by, Jazz man," he harrumphed. _Shady rapscallions hanging around outside at all hours of the night. Think they'd smarten up with the police living next door to her. _

"Miss Anna lives here, doesn't she?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

"She's not taking visitors tonight." _None of your kind at least. These boys need to leave this poor girl alone. Dead parents, having to grow up far too early. Too stubborn to ask for help. At least she lets Mary help her. _

"I understand, Sir," I said as politely as I could. "She seemed a little upset today at the library, I just wanted to make sure she was alright."

"You shouldn't be hanging around her place of work. It's bad enough you coming here." _This kid better watch himself before I break that pretty face of his._

"Excuse me, sir, but what exactly are you insinuating?" There was an edge to my voice. Calm yourself, Edward. You can't eat the chief of police.

"I'm _insinuating_ that you shouldn't be hanging around Ms. Brady. She's in no place to be courtin' a boy like you."

"Excuse me again sir, but what kind of _boy_ do you think I am?" If only you knew I was no boy at all. As I spoke, I could see in his thoughts that I was becoming more intimidating by the second.

"A no good one, and you better get out of here before you find yourself spending the night in a cell." The idea pleased him, thinking about grabbing me by the scruff of my neck and throwing me against a wall.

"If you would please give Ms. Brady my best wishes, and that I hope she has a better night tonight." I tipped my hat at him and started to walk away. He waited to go inside until I was well out of sight. Turning down an alley, I made my way to the back of the building. Before I was interrupted by the chief, I had found Anna's room to be on the top floor. If I sat on the roof, I could be close enough to her to hear what was going on, and to have more clarity to her thoughts. The building was only three stories tall, child's play for a vampire.

Scaling then side wall, I slinked around the rooftops before I found her voice, talking with the gruff police chief.

"You know that piano boy from the Blind Tiger?" He asked her. They were in the kitchen, and she was pouring him a cup of tea. She silently mourned giving the last tea bag to him, but she vowed to retrieve it and save it for one more use. Seeing through her eyes, I could understand now why she was so skinny. She lived in shambles. The kitchen table was being propped up by a thin book, the wallpaper was yellowed and peeling at the edges. From the fancy dresses she wore to the bar, I could not help but wonder if she spent all of her earnings on clothes and booze.

"Yes, why?" She said simply, handing him the cup. Her mind did not shift toward me however as I expected it to. She was still focused on the small children playing in the other room, making sure everything sounded alright. Trying to be sly, she placed the tea bag in an empty cup, hoping she could salvage it.

"He was outside, asking about you." Her previous hopes shattered when the cup fell from her hands and crashed against the floor. She first looked towards the window, wondering if I was still out there, but the pounding of little feet tore her eyes and mind away.

"Don't walk in here!" She shouted at the kids that came running in to figure out what caused the disturbance. They froze in place, obviously having enough respect for her to listen. Sighing, she took a towel off of the counter and started to brush the pieces into a towel. _I guess I won't have any tea this week. _Bored with watching their sister clean the kitchen, the two children skipped back to their toys.

Sister. That explained the dead parents comment, and her relatively young age. If I had to guess, she would be around 20 years old, give or take a year. Though I'm sure if she continued to live this way, she would start to age drastically. The children looked very healthy compared to their sister, glowing cheeks and the soft features that youth typically had.

"Did you say anything?" she asked nonchalantly, but I could hear her increased heart rate.

"Just that he shouldn't be hanging around outside like that, and that you didn't need boys like him sniffing around."

"Harry!" she exclaimed, embarrassed by his comments. They must be close if she was calling him by his first name. "He's a nice boy, not like those others at the Blind Tiger."

"When are you going to stop going to that place?" The chief asked her. _Hopefully soon so I can shut that speakeasy down. _

"I don't know. It's hard to explain," she picked up the broken pieces with the towel, careful not to cut herself. In her mind, she pictures herself at the Blind Tiger, laughing and dancing with her girlfriends. I caught a glimpse of myself in the background, looking a bit moody at the piano.

"I know, kid. I'm glad to see you staying in tonight, bet Mary's happy for the night off." _At least she can try and attempt to have a normal life. _

"I'll never be able to pay the two of you back for everything you have done for us. If it gets to be too hard for her, let me know. I can try and find someone else." Anna looked at him lovingly, like that of a child to her father.

"Heaven's sake, no, she loves you kids like her own. Your father would never forgive me if I let something happen to you. He'd come right down from above and kick my arse."

Anna chuckled, the sound of it like music to me. The tinkling died down and she looked at Harry solemnly. In her mind was a picture of two adults, no doubt her parents. The man was dressed as the chief was, in full uniform. Her mother was lovely like her, though with a more fullness to her body, and blonde hair.

"I miss him," she said quietly, looking down at her hands.

"We all do, Anna." Harry reached across the table and patted her hands soothingly.

She closed her eyes and let the scene shift. Her mother looked worse for wear now, a whisky bottle in her hand, yelling at Anna about something. The bottle went flying, crashing against the wall behind Anna's head. She shook her head slightly, and it changed again, this time her and the two little ones hiding in a closet. She was holding them tightly to her body, covering their ears.

"Anna, hon', don't think about her. You're better than that."

"It wasn't her, it was the grief. She could not handle losing him." One little tear leaked from her eye, she brushed it away quickly.

"Just don't let you lose yourself to the bottle like she did."

"I won't, Harry. I promise you that." She turned her head to look at the clock on the wall, noticing how late it was. She really had no sense of time when she was preoccupied.

"I better put the kids to bed. Thanks for coming over," she said sweetly. Harry started to rise from his chair, draining the last of his tea. He went towards the door, but remembered that he had not told her what I had said.

"Oh, that piano kid asked me to pass along a message. I can't remember the exact wording, but something along the lines of wishing you a better night." He closed the door behind him, leaving Anna standing bewildered in the kitchen.


	6. Chapter 6

Hi guys! I'm happy you are all still reading. Thank you for the reviews. Again, please check out each other's stories, they are all wonderful. Also, if you are a fan of The Host, check out Event Horizon by jkgvader.

Enjoy the chapter!

**CHAPTER 6**

Anna quickly ushered the kids into the bathroom, helping them get ready for bed, and then hurried them right along to the one bedroom. The two shared a small bed, pillows used as a barrier between them. Like the rest of the apartment, the bedroom was tiny, cramped, and decrepit. There were toys scattered across the floor, making a maze for Anna to step through as she followed her young siblings. Anna must spend most of her money on keeping these two happy and healthy. Aside from the bed and toys, there was a small dresser of clothes which was almost as bare as her cupboards.

"What story are you going to tell us tonight?" the little girl asked, pulling a teddy bear towards her. The boy nodded excitedly, sticking his thumb in his mouth. Anna took her seat at the edge of the bed as her siblings snuggled into their blankets.

"What would you like to hear?" Anna asked sweetly, tucking the covers around each of them. _Hopefully this will be enough to keep them warm. They're growing out of their clothes faster than I can keep up with. _

"A knight!" the little boy shouted. I smiled with Anna at the boy's enthusiasm.

"Alright, a knight it is. Once upon a time, there was a handsome knight, living in a land far far away." The scene slowly started to form in Anna's mind. A knight on a white horse, riding through the green hills of North Carolina. The sunshine glittered off his suit of armor. I chuckled at the irony.

"He was very courageous, having fought numerous dragons and saving countless damsels in distress. However, through all of his journeys, he never found the girl who could sing to his heart, that one true love. One day, he was riding through a small little town that had a nasty dragon problem."

The town was nestled into the hills, with a large castle off in the distance. Little thatch roofed huts lined the streets, with blue dragons flying around the town. The townspeople were hiding in their homes, watching fearfully as the dragons prowled the streets.

"There was an evil witch that lived in a castle on the hill, and she would let her dragons lose on the unsuspecting folk. They requested the knight to assist them in defeating her."

"What did the witch look like?" The little girl asked. The scene vanished in Anna's mind, and was replaced with the wide eyes of the little girl. In the soft light of the bedroom, they seemed to sparkle.

"She had thick curly brown hair that looked like snakes when the wind blew." Anna started to imagine herself as the witch, cackling in her mind. "The brave knight went straight to the witch's door, knocking three times." She knocked on the bed post in sync.

"_Who is it?_ The witch called. _'It is I, Knight…"_ she paused dramatically, looking at the little boy to insert a name.

"Bobby!" he shouted. Anna grinned, picturing the little boy in a miniaturized suit of armor. Evidently, that was the boy's name.

"_Knight Bobby. I've come to defeat you.'_ He pronounced boldly_. 'Alright alright. Give me a minute.'_ The witch grumbled. She grabbed her favorite dragon and went to answer the door. She was just about to release the dragon upon the unsuspecting knight, until her eyes met his. There was an instant connection. The knight couldn't believe it, the woman he had spent his whole life searching for was a witch that was harming innocent people."

The miniaturized knight was replaced with myself, a look of wonder in my red eyes. Anna the witch with her crazy brown hair couldn't take her eyes off me.

"Oh no," the little girl whimpered.

"It's alright, Sarah, the story isn't over yet." Anna said calmly, patting the girl's leg.

"The witch invited the knight inside, still dazed from the feelings over taking her. _'Why are you harming the townspeople with your dragons?'_ He asked her, wanting answers. The love of his life could not be hurting people. _'They started it,'_ the witch said childishly. '_My dragons weren't hurting anyone. I sent them down to help the town. They lay golden eggs, and bring good fortune you see. But the townsfolk killed one, getting greedy thinking they could get more eggs at once. You should know that dragons are very protective of one another. Once the first one died, the rest turned_.' The witch explained.

"_Well that's very well,_' the knight said, understanding her predicament. _'But they just can't be killing others. Not everyone is guilty.'_." The witch looked at him strangely, wondering what he was accusing her of. _'Dear sir, I think you were not told the whole story. My dragons have harmed no one. They are only hunting the one that killed their brother._

"The witch continued to explain to the knight the history of dragons and what had happened in the town. With every word she told him, the further in love he fell, and the more his heart felt complete. Days had passed without him realizing it. In the castle, day turned into night without a warning. The townsfolk thought the knight was lost, another victim of the witch. They started to form a mob, planning to storm the castle.

"The witch's dragons came to warn her of what was going to happen. She looked at the knight worriedly, wondering if this was going to be the end of her_. 'I'll protect you,'_ he said. _'Now that I've found you, I never want to lose you.'_ He took the witch in his arms and kissed her sweetly. The knight swung the door open and met the angry mob. _'Give up the one that killed the dragon, and no one else will be harmed. The dragons are only protecting themselves from your greed.'_ The witch hid behind the knight, eyeing the mob carefully. Soon the crowd started to rustle, pushing an individual to the front. The gruff looking man was pushed to the ground at the knight's feet. The witch's dragons hissed in the room as they saw the dragon killer.

"_What would you like done with him, my love?'_ The knight asked the witch. She turned to the dragons and had a silent conversation. _'If he apologizes, and promises to never hurt another living being, the dragons will forgive him.' _The witch told her love_. 'Can you manage that?'_ the knight asked, turning towards the dragon killer. He nodded quickly and immediately groveled for forgiveness. _'Anything else my love?'_ The knight asked. She shook her head, content with the apology that was given."

Anna looked at her siblings lovingly, both having already fallen asleep. She pulled the covers around them tighter and kissed each of their foreheads.

"And then, the townspeople left the knight and witch alone, letting them continue their lives together, happily ever after," she whispered softly, so she wouldn't wake them. In her mind the scene shifted from a witch and knight in a castle, to her and me in her little kitchen, our arms wrapped around each other tenderly. She crept to the window, looking down at the street below, silently hoping I would be out there waiting for her. She pictured me as I was in the library, the smile I had on my face as I laughed at the absurd idea of her being a librarian. Now I knew why. She was a natural storyteller.

My dead stone heart broke for her. She had so much love she wanted to give, and I wanted to be able to give it to her, but I couldn't. A monster of my kind could not love. I couldn't give her those sweet kisses that she desired from her knight.

There was something however that she wanted that I could give her. I waited patiently as she got herself ready for bed, and made herself comfortable on the decrepit little sofa in the living room. That must be horrible for her back, but showed her nature of self sacrifice. She laid down and started to read, hoping the words would soothe her to sleep. I snuck down to the corner, where a general store was. The security on this door was laughable at best, any criminal, vampire or not, could easily break in. Grabbing what I needed, I left more than enough change on the counter to pay for what I had taken. I waited in the dark alley by her apartment until I could hear that she was fast asleep, her dreams replaying her story. Creeping inside her building, I left a box of teabags at her door, hoping this could bring her a little happiness.

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Up until this point, this was my favorite chapter. I hope you enjoyed it! Please review, I love the feedback.


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you so much for reading this story. I'm having a lot more fun with it than I thought I would, and it's getting a phenomenal response. I'm going to take this time to recognize all those that have reviewed or added this story to their favorites/alerts. Please check out each other's stories!

BassoonistSpex

Marykat (one of my betas and favorite authors! Go read Destiny of Dreams)

Mashimaro401

Patch138 (very cute stories)

So Insecure

Eagleswings81

Silksoft96

Verolina

MyBeloved (another one of my betas and favorite authors, fun Nessie/Jacob story)

ScarletPaige (awesome stories)

Nanny87

EdwardsMin4Eva

RaCullen

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**CHAPTER 7**

The next night, I came back, hoping to hear another tale by her. When she tucked the kids into bed, she chose a shorter story, wanting to put them to bed quickly. She had plans to go out to the Blind Tiger tonight.

"How about the story of the Princess and the Pea?" she asked as they jumped into bed.

I listened intently as Anna spun the legend of how the prince found his true princess. It was based off a Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, but she added her own flourish descriptions to really make it exciting for the kids. She was a magnificent story teller. In her head, she pictured me as the prince, too picky and stubborn to just pick a wife. Once the story was done, she walked to the window and peeked outside as she had the night before. Seeing the streets were empty of a certain piano player, she shook her head, reminding herself that it was a silly idea, and went to get ready for the Blind Tiger.

I had gotten so caught up in her story that I lost track of the time that had passed. I was going to be late for my set with the band. I'm sure they had already started playing without me. Running swiftly along the rooftops I arrived at the Blind Tiger in moments.

It wasn't too long after that when Anna and the police chief entered the Blind Tiger, me already at my piano letting my fingers dance along the keys. The chief took a seat at the bar near the door, while Anna strolled across the room to sit with her friend Dorothy. She chose her chair carefully so that she could have a perfect view of me and my piano.

I couldn't take my eyes off of her for the evening with her wonderful stories still playing through my head. Eventually the rest of the band took a break, but I continued to play music. My tune slowly shifted from the typical jazz notes to a more classical piece. While the song started to form, I realized that it flowed nicely with her witch and the knight story.

Anna sat at the table in a trance, watching me just as carefully as I watched her. Her thoughts were a steady stream of questions, intrigued by the mystery of my being. Whenever she was on my mind, time seemed to fly by.

"Come on Piano Man, play something upbeat," the saxophone player clapped his hand on my shoulder. He pulled it back quickly as he felt the cold hard muscles.

"Man, you need to get yourself a drink, get loose. Moonshine warms the blood right up."

Yes, I was aware of that, smelling the aroma of his blood mixed with liquor. A brandy glass soon found its way to my piano, but stayed there untouched. I started to focus on the keys, hoping I could play off that I just didn't see the glass sitting there.

"Don't you drink?" Anna's sweet voice filled my ears and mind. She took a seat on the piano bench, watching my fingers intently. As her breath flowed towards me, I could smell the hint of alcohol. Liquid courage, and here she was sitting no more than a foot away from a death wish.

"No, I don't," I answered her, curtly. Her closeness was making me uncomfortable. The warmth of her blood and body filled my nostrils, and made the venom start to pool in my mouth.

"Then why do you play in a bar of all places? You play so beautifully, you could be in a symphony." She gushed, hoping I would turn my head to look at her. Instead, I focused on the piano keys, trying to distract my thirst.

"Thank you, Ms. Brady. There really isn't a big market for piano players in the Charlotte area."

She started to get embarrassed, thinking my answers were condescending. I was saddened that I was the one that made her feel this way. Maybe I could change the subject, make her feel more comfortable.

"May I ask, Ms. Brady, why you come to the Blind Tiger?"

"To socialize, have a little fun. You can't find that in a library," she laughed lightly. But in her mind, I could see that wasn't the whole truth. Sure she did enjoy the time she spent with her friends and dancing, but there was a darker reason. She started to scan the room, trying to match faces with a rogue individual in her mind. When no one matched the description, she closed her eyes, placing him in a dark scene. She was crouched behind a set of steps, peering past the banister towards two men arguing in front of the Blind Tiger. The man closest to her was her father, dressed in full police uniform. The rogue man slowly pulled a gun out of his pocket. I jumped at the sound of the gun shot, letting my fingers slip off the piano keys. The mistake interrupted her thoughts and she refocused on my face.

"Did the police chief pass along my message?" I asked her, trying to push her thoughts from mine. This explained the story from the other night. She was the witch, looking for the one that killed her father. And she needed a knight to help her through it, before the angry mob of slum bags in this place harmed her. That must be why the police chief was here, sitting by the door for the moment she pointed out the murderer, and he could finally be the honest cop I saw in him and shut this place down.

"Yes, he did. Thank you, Mr…I'm afraid I don't know your name."

"Edward Masen, call me Edward." I told her.

"Edward, that's a nice name. Do people ever call you Eddie?"

"No, they don't." There, I did it again, answered her curtly and made her feel bad. "But there's always room for a new nickname." I added, giving her a little grin.

Her smile brightened and I was upset to realize that it had a profound effect on me, that giddy feeling deep in my stomach. I couldn't get attached to a human. But I think it was already too late for denial.

Anna continued to ask me questions, and in turn answered a few of mine. I saw her catch the chief's eye and shake her head. The murderer wasn't there, he could go home. He gave me a glare as he left the speakeasy.

"He's very protective of you, the chief." I noted, hoping she would tell more of that tale.

"I know. After my father died, he kind of stepped in. He and his wife help me out a lot, watching over me and my siblings," she whispered, leaning her head towards me. I backed away instinctively, but still took a deep breath of her scent. She smelled like cherry brandy, strong but sweet. I stopped myself from breathing, hoping the venom would soon stop too. I continued playing and asking questions until we were the last ones in the bar.

"May I escort you home, Ms. Brady?" I asked, pulling the covering over the piano keys. I hopped off the stage and offered her a hand down. When she touched my cold hands, she did not flinch or pull away. I could feel my own skin warming under her fingers.

"Trying to prevent another heroic deed?" She smiled, walking towards the door.

"Perhaps." I realized now that I had spent the whole evening consumed by her that I never did pick out someone to relieve my thirst. I couldn't let myself be near her if I was at all tempted. We arrived at her doorstep, too soon for my liking. I wanted to spend more time with her, but the dry thirst was starting to become unbearable.

"Would you like to come up?" she asked me quietly. She started to picture the same scene she had at the end of her story, the two of us standing in her kitchen, looking deep into each other's eyes.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Brady. I don't think it would be proper if I did."

"Who cares about proper?" She took a step towards me. I held my position, taking in another deep breath of her smell. She was mouthwatering. I could see her jugular pulsing under her thin skin. One tiny nibble away from satisfying my thirst.

"I'm sorry, Anna. I should go." I needed to get out of here before I killed her.

"One goodnight kiss?" She fluttered her eye lashes, trying to be seductive. If only you knew, silly girl, what one kiss could do to you. I took a deep breath, calming the venom in my mouth. Cautiously, I took her hand, slowly drawing it to my lips. Anna's eyes were locked in mine and I gently pressed my lips against her skin. Her pulse quickened at the touch, making this much more tempting.

"Goodnight, Anna." I gave her hand a little squeeze before letting it drop to her side.

"Goodnight, Edward," she said, a bit disappointed, but her heart rate still fluttered like a hummingbird.

~*~*~*~

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave feedback! I love getting those emails that I have new reviews. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Alright readers, here's a long update for you! Please don't kill me until after you read it. You may want a box of Kleenex nearby. When I wrote it, I made myself cry. I'm actually really nervous to post this chapter. I'm anxious to see what you guys think. **

**Thanks again to everyone who reviewed! And those who haven't, I hope you leave feedback this time. I really want to get reactions on how I took this chapter, because your comments may change how I continue this story. **

**CHAPTER 8**

When I arrived home, there was a letter for me from Carlisle, updating me on him and Esme.

_Dear Edward, _

_We hope life is finding you well. We both miss you terribly. It's time for us to relocate to ease suspicions. Without your gift, it is harder to tell when the right time is. I've found a job at a local hospital and Esme has found a wonderful home in Rochester. She has a real eye for architecture. We hope you can visit us soon. Esme sends her love. The address to our new home is enclosed. _

_Love you son, Carlisle_

Before, a note like this would make me gag with the sickening amount of emotion and love, but now it made me happy. I haven't felt true happiness since my change. Grinning, I pulled a piece of paper out and started to write a note back.

_Dear Carlisle and Esme, _

_Thank you for the letter. I'm happy to hear you both are doing well. I've been playing piano in a speakeasy, trying to keep myself busy and to be inconspicuous. I saved a local girl, Anna, from being a victim to a particularly shameful man, and we've started to form a friendship. _

I stopped. Even writing down her name, I could tell this was not a good idea. If I couldn't even explain what Anna was to me to the two people that could possibly understand, should I be doing this? I had to stay away from her, to protect her from the monster I am.

I avoided the Black Tiger that night, instead going to a town about an hour away to hunt. In another speakeasy, I found my prey. Sitting in the corner, hiding his face, there was a repeat murderer, passing through the town on his way north. Every noise in the bar made him jump and look over his shoulder. He was thinking about the last person he killed, the look on the young girls face as he held the knife under her nose. The girl couldn't have been much older than Anna's sister, having that same wide look in her sweet eyes. Downing the moonshine in his glass, he signaled for another. As he turned his head back to the empty glass, he caught me staring at him. I could only see his eyes; the rest was hidden behind his scarf.

_Why is he watching me? Could he know? That look he's giving me. He knows. I've been caught. He knows! _The man quickly grabbed his coat and rushed out of the bar, looking over his shoulder at me once again. I waited only a moment before following him, giving him time to think he'd escaped. I liked the chase a little too much, the cruel monster inside me excited by the thrill.

The man hurried down the street, glancing over his shoulder now and then to see that I was still quick on his heels. Twisting and turning through the towns streets, he backed himself in a corner, close to the town limits. The little rat started to panic and hyperventilate as I blocked his exit. He threw a punch that I knew was coming but I let him hit me anyway. I felt the bones in his hand crumble against my granite face.

"What do you want?" he shouted, clutching his hand.

"I want you to think about every person you killed," I growled, taking a step towards him. He cowered against the wall, waiting for the blow. Each person flashed across his mind as he sobbed, a majority of his victims being women. There was one scene that looked familiar.

"Wait, go back to that one," I commanded. This couldn't be him.

"What one?" he cried.

"That man in blue that you murdered, think about him again." I watched through his eyes as he stumbled out of the Blind Tiger, the sun just having set. Anna was walking down the street, in her typical daytime outfit. She had an armful of books, obviously coming back from the library after closing, easy target prey for him. The streets were empty, everyone inside their homes for dinner.

_"Let me help you with that, sweetie," _the man slurred, reaching his arm towards Anna. She sidestepped him, wanting to continue her way home. He blocked her path, not letting her go anywhere.

_"I'm fine, thank you." _She tried to move around him again, but again was foiled.

_"That sure looks like a heavy load." _He reached for her again, until a large hand was placed on his shoulder.

_"Is there a problem here?" _A man in blue, Anna's father in complete police uniform, turned the murderer around to face him. Anna scurried off, but I knew she went to hide behind the stairs.

_"No problem, officer. I was just trying to help that young girl with her books." _

_"You're not from around here are you?"_ Obviously or he would have known that this was the chief's daughter he was trying to abduct.

_"And why do you say that?" _

_"If you know what's good for you, you'll leave this town."_

_"Is that a threat officer? I don't react kindly to threats." _The man stupidly poked the officer in the chest, yelling at him.

_"Come now, we'll continue this discussion in the barracks." _Anna's father went to grab the man, and place him in handcuffs, but he forgot to be defensive. The man pulled a gun out, and shot. I was not startled this time, as I was when I saw it through Anna's thoughts. The officer looked at him shocked, the pain having already numbed his body. Blood started to ooze from his stomach as he stumbled backwards. The man ran away, leaving Anna's father to fight for his life.

"You're the one that killed Chief Brady?" I asked, looking at the coward in front of me. There was a growing wet stain on his pants, the fear paralyzing his basic body controls.

"I didn't know that was his name!" the man cried again, trying to hide himself further into the brick wall. "Please, please let me go. I don't want to die."

"Did you give your victims that option? What about that little girl with the knife? Did you let her go?" I yelled, grabbing him by the collar and lifting him above my head. "No, you will not get the option to live or die. I'm going to enjoy this." I pulled his face close to mine, thrilled by the fear in it. "This is for all of those people you killed, especially Chief Brady." I sunk my teeth into his jugular, drawing his blood into my mouth. The hot liquid slid down my throat, easing my scorching thirst, until I drained the last drop. Dropping his lifeless body, I knew what I needed to do now.

I ran back to Charlotte, hoping to find Anna and tell her who I found. I was in a state of euphoria. She wouldn't have to go to the Blind Tiger anymore, and put herself in danger. That serial killer was no longer a problem.

Wait…I couldn't tell her. She didn't know that I knew about the murder. It was one of her darkest secrets, one that probably only the chief knew. One day, I will tell her, once I can tell her about my darkest secret, I vowed. Yes, that will do.

I made a quick stop at my apartment, changing out of the dirty clothes and putting on a crisp outfit, before going to the Blind Tiger. I was going to stop denying my connection with Anna, and let myself finally be happy. She was more than just a girl I had saved. Taking one quick look in the mirror, making sure I didn't look deranged, I smiled to myself. I could be happy.

Upon entering the speakeasy, I did a quick scan of the bar, not seeing my little flapper. The bar was filled with a dull roar of voices and thoughts, a thick haze of smoke lingering around the patrons. The chief was sitting by the door as usual, sipping on a cola.

"Hey there, Piano Man!" One of my band mates yelled, waving his arm for me to come to the stage and start playing. I ignored him, walking briskly over to the only man that could give me the answer I wanted.

"Excuse me Chief, where's Anna?" I asked Harry. I should have been more formal, but I didn't have any patience left. He looked up grumpily. _Who does this kid think he is? Getting her so excited. If he breaks her heart, I really will break that face of his. _

"She's probably still at home. She said she had to finish sewing her dress before she came out tonight." _At least that girl has better taste in clothes than boys. _

"I want to assure you sir, I will never harm Anna." I told him. Hurting her will be the last thing I would do.

"Sure, kid." He turned his head away from me, wanting to believe me. I hurried out of the bar, making my way to Anna's apartment. I had barely walked a block when I stumbled. Believe me, for a vampire that is a difficult thing to do, but I was blindsided by a scent I didn't expect to smell here. Another vampire had been in the area. The stronger trail went towards the right, towards a park, leading to where it must be now. The fainter scent was coming from the direction of Anna's apartment.

I stood at the crossroads. Do I track the vampire first? Make sure they know this territory was already claimed? I did not have many experiences with other vampires outside of Carlisle. When we were together as a family, we had run into a few acquaintances of his but they normally ended on bad terms, with Carlisle trying to convert them to vegetarianism.

Anna first, I decided. I would see her, be happy, and then I'll worry about other vampires. I briskly walked towards her building, climbing the stairs three at a time until I was at her apartment door. I should have brought flowers; I'm showing up at her place empty handed, how ungentlemanly. There would be many a more time to make up for tonight. Knocking on her door, I was beyond excited to see her face again.

Maybe it was because time meant very little to me, but it seemed to be taking her a long time to answer. I knocked again, impatiently. I searched the room for her thoughts, but there was nothing there.

_Where is that knocking coming from? _The thoughts were coming from the next apartment, but they were not Anna's. The door opened a crack, and I saw only a sliver of a gray haired woman with bright blue eyes. _Oh dear, isn't he darling. He must be that piano boy Harry was talking about. _The woman, who I assumed to be Mary, opened the door wider, stepping halfway into the hallway.

"Can I help you, honey?" Mary asked sweetly. She began to think of Anna and I arm in arm, until her eyes locked with my red pupils. The image suddenly disappeared as fear and confusion took over.

"Yes, ma'am. Could you tell me where I might find Ms. Brady?" I asked politely, searching her mind for answers.

"I'm afraid she's already left. She was hoping to see you play tonight. I must say, she made the cutest outfit, trying to impress you. She has quite a talent for sewing."

While I was happy to learn that she didn't spend her money on clothes, I was worried about her having already left. I would have passed her on the way to her apartment. Unless…

"Oh no." I ran down the stairs, and flew out into the street. While I had picked up on the vampire's scent, I hadn't noticed if it was mingled with Anna's, to preoccupied with the thought of seeing her. As soon as I approached the crossroads again, I followed the trail towards the park and found that the sweet vampiric smell also had a hint of cherry brandy. Running at full speed, I tried to track the trail left behind.

_Another vampire? _I heard the monster think as I started to draw nearer to his spot. He crouched low over his prey as I approached, protecting his claim. The limbs of the body were sprawled in what looked like an uncomfortable broken position, one that wasn't physically possible for a living being. Her head was turned away so I couldn't see her face, but I could smell her blood, and it was most definitely Anna's. In the deadly silence of the empty park, there was no heartbeat to give me hope.

"Go away, this one is mine," the other vampire hissed. His eyes were bright red from the recent feeding. Anna's scent was the sweetest he had smelled in a century. The cherry brandy was so alluring he hadn't noticed the trace of a vampire lingering around her.

"She was mine first," I growled, running at him full speed and tackling him to the ground. He tried to fight me, but the rage inside me made me twice as strong, and knowing his thoughts gave me the advantage. From one of the few encounters I had with other vampires, I had learned the only way to kill a vampire was to pull his body apart, and to burn the limbs. Fire was the only way to banish a demon to hell. I bit and tore at the other vampire, venom blinding me to what I was really doing. The granite pieces eventually stopped fighting, and I sat down on the ground breathing heavily.

Out of my peripheral vision, I could see Anna's shoe, the same set of heels she wore that first night when I saved her. The pain started to shoot through my body as I felt my heart breaking. I couldn't be her knight tonight, the monster in me keeping me away for too long.

I closed my eyes, letting the dry sobs take over my body. How could I let myself get this attached to a human? So fragile and breakable. The sound of granite on granite broke me from my thoughts. The pieces of the vampire were trying to put its body back together. I needed to find matches. I looked over at Anna's body now, seeing the contents of her purse scattered along the ground. She had told me once that she carried them, just because you never know when you may need them.

I couldn't handle this. I needed Carlisle or Esme with me, someone much stronger than I could ever be. Why did I ever leave my family? I could see the consequences of the life I led, that someone's heart broke with every kill. Gathering brush and twigs, I quickly started the fiery grave for the unnamed vampire, the killer of happiness.

Chancing another look at Anna, I felt guilty leaving her here, broken in the middle of a park. Someone would eventually find her, most likely come morning taking the dog out for a walk. I sneered at the idea of a stupid mutt sniffing her body, or defiling her by marking its territory. There was nowhere else that I could take her, however. If I took her back to her apartment, make it look like she passed in her sleep, I would risk the chance of being caught, or worst, having her siblings find the body. Those kids would have enough to deal with, having lost their parents and now their sister. Surely, Harry and Mary would take them in; take care of them as their own. They would be in good hands. Hopefully Mary would buy some fairy tale books to read to them as they fell asleep. Though nothing could compare to the stories Anna told.

I walked over to her body, adjusting her skirt so she could be found with a little modesty. The outfit she made was gorgeous, a soft black material with gold trim, expensive looking design. The loose cut swallowed her small frame. I was impressed at her craftsmanship. Placing a careful hand on her cheek, I drew her face upward, so I could get one last look. She looked peaceful, no expression of horror frozen on her features. I wonder how he lured her here. Maybe she noticed the resemblance, asked him about his strange colored eyes that matched mine.

Footsteps in the distance alerted me that my time with her was up. Hopefully they'll walk through and spot her, get Harry out of the Blind Tiger. He could finally shut that place down, and start making this town honest. I bent down quickly and placed my lips against hers.

"Goodbye, Anna." I whispered. "Watch over me, my angel."

I quickly walked out of the park, leaving my life as a carnivore behind.


	9. Chapter 9

Thank you all for the comments! And to my new readers/reviewers : I Deliver to Fascists, The Mixed Up Girl, I'm in love with the moon, and Just Me Reading. Here is the next part of Edwards story. It's not writing itself like Anna's part, so time between updates may be a little longer.

Also, I want to thank my two beta's Marykat and My Beloved for all their amazing feedback and taking time from their busy lives to read my chapters. 

**CHAPTER 9**

I walked to Rochester, too broken to run, and only stopping when the sun shone. At least I had some sense of self preservation left. It was a long trip, but the time passing was meaningless to me. I didn't want to think about how long it had been since I saw Anna's smiling face. What did I have to live for now? _Your vampire parents that love you unconditionally, _my conscience reminded me.

Arriving in town, the sun was threatening to peek from the cloud cover. Carlisle's home couldn't be too far away, but that was a risk that I would not take. They had just settled here, exposing them was the last thing I wanted to do. I owed them that. There was a small nestle of trees, flirting with the border of the town, that I chose to hide in and not a moment too soon. The sun started to shine brightly, lighting the stone path I had just traveled on.

Warm rays became inviting for the townspeople, who started to flood the streets. I listened carefully to their thoughts, searching for mentions of Carlisle or Esme, or of strange events in town. Nothing of particular consequence popped up as the people passed my hiding spot.

_Misses Royce King. Mister and Misses Royce King. Misses Rosalie King. _A beautiful blonde walked by, stopping to glance at her reflection in a shop window as she passed. _Misses Rosalie Hale King. There, that's the one. _ She winked at her reflection before continuing on her way. I snorted softly at the frivolous thoughts of these humans. I wonder if Anna ever did that. Of course not, there were far too many important things for her to worry about in her life than what her name should be. She would never have chosen thoughts of being Misses Anna Brady Masen when she was struggling to feed Sarah and Bobby. However, I had not known her long enough to actually hear whether or not she did feel that way about me. Sure she pictured us together in her bedtime stories, filling that lonely space in her heart, but I couldn't know if that meant she loved me. She had died before knowing that she was loved.

_Misses Anna Masen_, I scolded myself for thinking such things. The streets became dark, a particularly large cloud covering my blazing foe. Taking my chance, I quickly stalked the streets for the Cullen's home. Off the center of town, was the row house I was looking for, with the bright blue door and white trim. I had to admit, from the outside, Esme had an excellent eye for architecture.

I took one step on the stoop and stopped, getting a feeling of impending doom. They were going to ask me a lot of questions, ones that I didn't feel quite ready to answer yet. I tried to take the next marble step, but my feet refused to move, stone fused against stone. Immobile.

"Carlisle, I think there is someone at the door." I heard Esme's voice inside. If it was a human out here, they wouldn't have been able to hear the exchange. Carlisle took a deep breath, using his sense of smell to see who their visitor was. What his olfactory glands picked up was shocking.

_Edward? Is that you? _

"Yes, it's me," I answered. Esme ripped the door open with such speed and force that the hinges splintered the frame they were attached to.

"Edward!" she gasped, throwing her arms around me and squeezing me tightly. "We were so worried about you, we haven't heard from you in so long."

"How long has it been since you sent the letter?" I asked, struggling a little under her bear hug. Luckily, I didn't need to breathe to live.

"Months, darling," Esme whispered, patting my hair lovingly. _We missed you so much. _

Months? It's been months since I last saw Anna? I couldn't do this right now. I couldn't think about her in front of Carlisle and Esme.

"Edward, is there something wrong?" Carlisle put his hand on my shoulder carefully. _You look ill son. Did something happen? Your eyes are black, when is the last time you fed? _

"I'm sorry Carlisle, Esme. Can I be alone for a moment?" I asked quietly, swallowing to push the sobs down for the time being.

"Of course, sweetie. We have a room upstairs for you. I was hoping you would come visit, so I put some of your favorite books in there." She led me up the staircase and opened the first door for me. "If there is anything you need, let me know."

"Thank you both." I went inside and closed the door for privacy. But in the life of a vampire, it was hard to escape each other, even in spacious quarters.

"Do you think he's alright?" Esme whispered.

"Something must have happened. He'll tell us when he's ready. He looked a bit shaken up."

I looked around my room, trying to block out their words and thoughts. Anna's whole apartment could fit inside this single room. Esme had taken a lot of care into decorating, putting some of Carlisle's personal art collection on the walls. There was a small bed along the wall with a green duvet. I didn't need it for sleep, but right now, I collapsed on it, the soft mattress feeling like a warm embrace around my body. I wish Anna had gotten a chance to enjoy some of life's simple pleasures, like down pillows and a proper mattress. I closed my eyes and let my thoughts wander to her, thinking about everything I could have done for her if I had not savored my last feeding and gotten back in time.

In all my thoughts, I could not bear to think of what her life could have been without me. I didn't want to imagine a life without her. She was the sunshine breaking through an endless dreary sky in Charlotte. I wanted to be selfish and keep her for myself. I wanted to be that prince she imagined, her one true life. I wanted her to be the only one that sang to my heart. Saving her from that rapist just postponed her life to be taken from one of my own kind.

_Edward, can you let me in, please? _ Carlisle thought, knocking softly on my door. He was interrupting my endless thoughts of what my life could have been.

"I'm fine Carlisle. I just want to be by myself for a little while," I answered, pulling the pillow out from under my head and covering my face.

"Edward, you've been by yourself for a little more than just awhile." _Son, it's been two weeks since you showed up on our doorstep. _

"Please, just let me be," I begged. Two weeks? I had been watching the shadows from the sun slowly dance across my bedroom floor, but I wasn't counting the days or hours. I could have cared less what day it was. Nothing seemed to matter right now. The brightness in my life seemed to have ended with the last beat of her hummingbird heart.

_You need to hunt. It's not good for a body to go that long without feeding. Human or vampire, starvation is not healthy. _

"I'm not thirsty." I wanted to believe I had my fill of blood, but my dry throat had different ideas. While I could smell the humans walking by the house, my sense of smell hypersensitive from not feeding, I just wanted to wallow in self pity. It was amazing how much time passed when you didn't care what hour it was, or that life was drifting by.

_Edward, if you don't open this door this second, I'm going to tear it off the hinges._

"Esme won't like that. It will ruin another doorframe," I answered, smartly. Carlisle let a little growl out in frustration. _I am not enjoying your attitude, Edward. _

"What won't I like? Carlisle, what are you saying to him?" Esme's voice carried from downstairs. This house wasn't big enough.

_What are you going to decide Edward? Come with me willingly, or am I going to have to drag you out in the forest and force feed you? _

I breathed deeply, pinching the bridge of my nose. He wasn't going to give up until I gave in. Slowly, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, feeling the weakness in my limbs from lack of nourishment and movement. I didn't come back to Carlisle to ignore him, I reminded myself. I came because I needed their support and love, the only thing that had the hope of making me feel whole again.

Opening my bedroom door, I saw Carlisle smile. _Nice to see you again, Edward. _

We walked to the woods, my body too weak to run.

"How was North Carolina?" Carlisle asked trying to break the awkward silence.

"Do I have to talk about it?" I kicked a small stone, causing it to fly fifty feet.

"Not until you're ready. I just hope you know that Esme and I are here for you and will support you in everything."

"I know, and I thank you for that."

Carlisle paused and sniffed the air. _There are three deer to the south, drinking out of the creek. Ready? _

It had been so long since I hunted animals, I forgot how messy it was. Animals fought back. The humans I normally fed on became paralyzed with fear before I even touched my teeth to their skin. I picked out the smallest doe hoping it wouldn't be a challenge for someone of my strength. As I wrapped my arms around its neck it thrashed and kicked, trying to get out of my grasp. Seeing that I was struggling with the kill, Carlisle came over to help, swiftly snapping its neck.

"I almost had it," I muttered, biting into the doe's jugular.

_Thank you, Carlisle, for providing me nourishment. You're welcome, Edward. I would do anything for you, Son. _ He thought bitterly, walking over to the buck he had already taken down.

"I'm sorry." I pulled my lips away from the doe, letting blood spill to the ground.

_Can you explain to me why you came back? You obviously are unhappy. I love you, son. I don't like seeing you this way. _

"I had nowhere else to go." That couldn't even begin to cover it. "I did not want to be a monster anymore." Still not enough. "I saw what my actions caused, and couldn't deal with that morose anymore."

The image of Anna's broken body replaced that of the crippled doe. I turned away, heading back to the house, no longer thirsty.


	10. Chapter 10

Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! They're such a confidence booster. :) I hope you enjoy this chapter. Sorry for the delay in updating.

CHAPTER 10

I retreated to my cave of solitude, letting the mattress caress my body and losing myself to thoughts of Anna once again. However, Esme had different ideas. _Edward, your father had to leave for the hospital. It's starting to rain outside, would you mind helping me with errands? _

"Why do you need my help?" I muttered, wishing I had the ability to just roll over and go to sleep. I envied humans for their ability to grieve unconsciously.

"Because someone of my size carrying more than her body weight and an umbrella, skillfully, will be a little suspicious. Besides, I feel as if you have been avoiding me since you've arrived in Rochester," she spoke through the door. She hoped that I would let her in, speak face to face for the first time in weeks.

"I have also been avoiding Carlisle," I reminded her.

"I know, Edward," she sighed. "Will you please escort me?" _Please don't deny me this little request. _

"Fine," I caved, stubbornness involved too much effort than I was willing to give.

_Thank you! _Esme thought excitedly, clapping her hands. Reluctantly I left my room and followed her out into the rain.

"So what is our story here?" I asked, offering her my arm like a true gentleman. The fresh air and cool rain helped ease my bitterness.

"Carlisle and I decided we will tell anyone who asks that you are my brother, coming here for school. There is a really good medical school in town if you're interested. Or they have a lot of other programs to study as well."

"Medical school? I haven't really thought about that." I could be helping people instead of killing them. The idea was appealing. I pictured myself following in Carlisle's footsteps, helping him keep up with current trends, working side by side.

_You'll have to get over your habit of hiding in your bedroom though. _

"I'm sorry, Esme. I know I have not been the best of company," I apologized. My behavior really has been shameful.

"Will you eventually let us in? Let us know what transpired?" Esme stopped walking, turning me around carefully to look at her.

"Yes, I hope so. I just can't handle thinking about it right now," I told her.

"I hope so, too. Here we are," Esme smiled, tilting her head towards the store we stopped in front of.

"A florist? What need do you have for flowers?" With my internal battle of emotions flooding through me about Anna, she brings me to t he place that I had frequented most often while I was with Helen. Why does fate have to be so cruel? To force me from thinking about one dead girl to another. Could I not escape my demons? The thoughts of the happiness Helen's flowers had brought me in my past life squeezed my heart in a stranglehold.

"I want to put new arrangements in the house. They brighten the place up. Your father said you have a real knack for flowers."

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. Thankfully, Esme did not have my ability to read minds, but by her expression I'm sure she had an idea of what I was thinking.

_He told me about Helen._ She laid her hand on my cheek, watching me with caring eyes. _I'm sorry, Edward. I thought maybe if you came here, it would let you relieve some of your sadness. You can tell me anything. I'm here to listen. _

"Thank you, Esme. I will let you know when I'm ready." I pulled the door open to the flower shop, letting Esme walk in. I forced my body over the threshold, confronting the flooding memories head on.

The scent of the flowers were intoxicating, something I couldn't appreciate as a mere human. I picked up a flower closest to me and took a deep breath. Freesia. Trust.

"What do you think about these, Edward?" Esme asked, picking up some daffodils.

"Good morning, Mrs. Cullen," a familiar voice greeted my mother. I looked up from the freesia and was met with a pair of deep brown eyes. Across the room, a curly haired brunette was staring at me, her gaze locked with mine. In the fragrant shop I couldn't pick out a scent to associate with her. Anna the wild haired witch was watching me curiously. I had to be hallucinating, imagining figures from long lost stories. No voice or thoughts were coming from her direction. Only a tight pinch on my arm could tear me out of this dream.

_Edward, don't be rude._ Esme scolded. _Introduce yourself to Rosalie. _

I turned my head towards Esme's acquaintance, the source of the familiar voice. To my chagrin it was the vain blonde from the street yesterday.

_Why, isn't he attractive. Hmm, strange eyes though, a little scary even. He is much more attractive than Royce. Almost beautiful for a man. _

"It's nice to meet you, Rosalie." I said quickly, before turning back to where the brunette had stood. In her place now was a red head watering a fichus. I was hallucinating. Maybe that deer had gangrene. I wonder if it was possible to get blood poisoning.

_Even if he is better looking than Royce, I bet he's not as wealthy. After all he is just the brother in law of a doctor. _

"So what do you do, Mr. Masen?" Rosalie asked, wanting to know more about me. I wanted to find that brunette again, but the look on Esme's face told me I should stay and chat.

"I'm attending medical school." I continued to search the space for the mysterious brunette, letting my heighten sight analyze everyone in the florist shop. She couldn't be real. She was just a memory of one of Anna's bedtime stories.

"Really? That's wonderful." _So a potential doctor. Hmm, I wonder if…_ her thoughts started to lead towards courting and breaking off her engagement.

"Edward also plays the piano. He's a wonderful composer," Esme praised, smiling up at me.

"I don't play anymore," I said flatly, craning my head around Rosalie's to see if Anna the witch was hiding there.

_Why Edward? I love hearing you play. Is that why you're so sad? _

"That's a shame. Oh, Esme. We're having a small dinner party tonight in celebration, just thirty people or so, you should come, Edward and Dr. Cullen also. It will be quite fun." _Maybe I can learn more about this handsome doctor to be. Why isn't he looking at me?_ She turned her head to see what was more appealing than her.

"Oh, I'm sorry dear, but we already have plans for tonight. Edward just arrived in town, and Carlisle and I want to spend time with him, before classes start next month."

"Alright, I understand. Well I better get back to ordering the flowers for the wedding. So little time to plan. I can't believe it's only a little over a year away."

"Edward knows quite a bit about the meanings of flowers. If you want a special message in your arrangements, I'm sure he will be happy to assist." Esme offered for me. I shot her a disgusted look.

"What are you doing?" I hissed softly so only she could hear.

_Shh. It won't kill you to be nice. _

"But it might kill her."

_Oh stop it. _

"That would be wonderful. Do you have plans for tomorrow?" Rosalie asked eagerly.

"Yes I do," I huffed. Esme pinched me again. "But I can help you now if you wish."

_Thank you, Edward. _Esme smiled, walking away and leaving me behind with this image of vanity.

"I was thinking of having all roses in the ceremony, since that is my name after all," she walked over to a basket of long stemmed red roses. Love, desire, respect. They would be the perfect flowers for a wedding, but I had a different idea.

"I think you should use striped carnations." Refusal, sorry I can't be with you. "Yellow would be an excellent wedding color, these hyacinths would be nice." Jealously. Yes, I was being passive aggressive. I hoped Esme was not close friends with this woman, because once she found out what the flowers I was suggesting really meant, they would most likely not be seeing each other very often.

"Yellow?" _I will not be having yellow at my wedding. It will clash with my hair. These are not nearly as gorgeous as the red roses. But then again, wouldn't it be nice to hear people saying how clever I am having secret messages in my flowers. _"Well, I'll have to check with Royce, and my mother, get their opinions on it. But I appreciate your help."

"You're welcome, Rosalie," I held back my smirk as I bowed my head and made my way over to where Esme was sniffing an exotic plant.

"How about these for the house, Edward?" Esme held up an orchid. Love, beauty, thoughtful, maturity, and charm. They described our strange family perfectly.

"They're ideal, Esme." I smiled, walking with her to the counter.

"We'll take these," she told the cashier smiling widely. His heart started to beat wildly as he evaluated Esme's beauty. When his thoughts started to turn inappropriate, I coughed to bring him back to the present. Snapping out of his daze, he turned his head to me, remembering he had to do something. He was picturing an arm stretched out, pointing at me while I was speaking with Rosalie.

"Sir, this was left at the counter for you." He slid a yellow tulip and note towards me. Rosalie was still sniffing around the roses, carefully examining each one for flaws, it couldn't have been from her. I opened the note, surprised at the words.

_Your recommendations were a little mean. Funny, but mean. Thanks for giving me a reason to smile. You may want to apologize to Rosalie. _

"Who gave you this?" I grabbed the collar of the cashier and drew his face towards mine. Who was watching me that carefully without my knowledge? Esme suddenly became aware of what was going on, ripped from her thoughts of the best places in the house to put the flowers.

"I don't know, some brunette," he stuttered, fear consuming him. His thoughts told me that it was my hallucination with a sly smile on her pretty face. Anna the witch was channeling my sweet Helen and torturing me.

_Edward stop it, people are watching, _Esme laid a calming hand on my shoulder. With her other hand she released the cashier from my grip. The image he had of me mirrored that of the night I saved Anna in the alley. Was I becoming that monster again? He was just an innocent messenger.

"Thank you," I muttered, to both the cashier and to my mother. Esme slipped her hand into mine and half dragged me out of the shop.

"What was that about?" She demanded, continuing to pull me down the street.

"Nothing, nothing at all," I shoved the note in my pocket, hoping to bury it out of my thoughts.

"Do yellow tulips have some derogatory meaning I should know about?" Esme whispered. I laughed, wishing that was all that was bothering me. But why was it bothering me? I had left my guard wavier, letting someone watch my actions.

"No, it means _there's sunshine in your smile_," I explained. By the note, obviously they were close enough to hear my conversation, and knew a thing or two about flowers. I wanted to pull the piece of paper out again and examine it, but Esme would no doubt ask about it.

"Oh, well that's nice." _I can understand why you're a little upset, but you shouldn't take someone's compliment so negatively, even if it's from another gentleman. _

I tried not to laugh at her preposterous conclusion. It would be easier for me to allow her to believe this is why I was upset.

_I'll go back and get the flowers another day. _I was happy to see that she suspected nothing, but a feeling of dread resided in my stomach, knowing full well that Carlisle would not be as accepting of my behavior.


	11. Chapter 11

Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! I'm really sorry for the delay on this chapter. My final days of college have been very hectic, and job hunting has been a pain in my ass. BUT! I found a job, and I'm really excited to start. Chapters from now on will probably take just as long. Instead of an update every week, I'm thinking it might turn into two weeks. Please be patience, and please KEEP READING! I have a lot of good ideas on where to take this story. I just need your reviews to keep me motivated.

Enjoy!

CHAPTER 11

In the following days, Carlisle and Esme gave up on constantly pestering me to talk and to emerge from my den of darkness. I couldn't bear to see the sun pass across the room anymore, the sole depiction of the time since I have seen Anna. Nailing the soft green duvet over the window frame solved that small problem, but it did nothing to keep my parents thoughts and comments floating to my mind. Today's conversation drew enough of my interest to venture out of my room. I walked slowly down the hallway towards their bedroom, listening as they laughed and discussed their thoughts of the last sermon they attended.

"You go to church now? What about the days it is sunny?" I asked, watching my adopted parents with a raised eyebrow. Esme was checking her Sunday outfit in the mirror, pleased with how bright and cheerful the simple dress was. Knotting his tie with expertise, Carlisle was also getting ready for the morning sermon.

_It is a dreary day outside and suppose to rain all day. _Carlisle thought, walking over to his closest. _It gives us a reason to socialize outside on those days. _

"The church is packed when it's sunny, nobody notices we're gone," Esme smiled.

"I doubt that. The three of us are hard not to notice," I scoffed.

"Besides, we have created a reputation for liking to enjoy God's presence outside when it's nice. Just not in town." Carlisle's smile was as wide as his wife's while he helped her into her coat. "You don't need to come with us, Edward, but it would be nice if you did."

"Evidently, we don't burn at the sight of a cross. Is there any holy water, involved?"

"No, Edward, and we have not been stricken down by God either. It brings us closer to the purpose we feel we were made for. Love, compassion, family. Our existence helps others."

I thought about this momentarily. I wanted to feel like I served a purpose again. I have just been gliding through the days since I left Charlotte like a ghost. I was ready to start living again.

"I will accompany you, if you could wait a moment for me to change," I rushed back to my room, hoping to find an outfit that was presentable. I tried to remember back to my vague human memories to the last time I had been to church. Easter, before I was changed. My family would only go on major religious holidays. During our final days, my mother began to pray again, hoping to save my life. Carlisle, the angel of eternal life, answered those prayers. My actions as of late would not have made her proud. I had taken the opportunity of eternal life and was wasting away. I opened my closet, and found a crisp gray suit. Fingering the fabric, I started to feel very guilty about my behavior.

"I thought you might decide to join us,"Esme said lovingly, coming to stand in my door frame. "I think I got your measurements right from memory, but if we need to get it tailored…"

"Thank you, Esme. You do much more than I deserve at the moment," I interrupted her pause.

"You are our son. We would do anything for you."

As we walked down the street, huddled under umbrellas, I started to experience an emotion that hadn't been felt in months. Happiness. I may not have Anna, or Helen for that matter, but I had Carlisle and Esme, two of the most thoughtful and caring people I could ever hope to meet.

People were quickly filing into the building, not wanting to be left out in the rain. Carlisle greeted former patients, holding doors open for them as they exchanged pleasantries. Esme spoke with the socialites of the community, who were all seething with jealousy of her simple beauty. And I stood in the shadows, trying to suppress the thirst building in my throat. Maybe this was a bad idea.

"Let's go inside," Carlisle smiled, holding his arm out for Esme. _Are you alright, Edward? We'll sit in the back pew, if you need to exit quickly. _

"Thank you," I whispered, trailing after them into my seat.

_What is he doing here? The nerve of him, trying to humiliate me then show up at my church. _I knew full well where these thoughts were coming from, but turned my head anyway to watch Rosalie approach. If I wasn't already dead, I believe the look in her eyes would have stopped my heart in fear. Her mother quickly ushered her to their usual spot, cutting off her chance to approach me.

During the sermon, I was preoccupied with the feeling that someone was watching me, other than Rosalie who was shooting daggers over her shoulder. I searched the minds of the congregation, but found nothing of consequence. There were a few people thinking about my family, vastly inappropriate thoughts for being in the house of God.

I briefly caught the verse the pastor was referencing, Corinthians. Change for the greater good. Rosalie's constant cursing of my name in silent rants was blocking me from concentrating on the sermon message. Soon, people started to stand, signaling the end of the service.

_I'm proud of you, Son. You made it. _Carlisle smiled, clapping me on the shoulder. We filed out of the church with the other patrons, milling about on the sidewalk in front of the steps. The rain had stopped, but there was still a thick cloud cover, threatening to downpour without a notice.

"Mr. Masen, I would like a word with you," a shrill voice stopped me. Carlisle and Esme glanced at me, and then at Rosalie who was storming towards us, almost missing the last step in her urgency. _He's not going to get away with this, _I heard her think. She had been waiting through the whole sermon to put me in my place.

_What did you do, Edward? _Esme asked me. She held Carlisle's arm a little tighter, sensing the danger I could be in for from this wrathful woman.

"Hello, Ms. Hale, did you enjoy the sermon?" I turned to her nonchalantly. She pursed her lips tightly into a thin line, her expression turning darker if that was possible. _What nerve this man has, acting as if he did nothing wrong. _

"Yes, I did. What I did not enjoy was tea with my closest friends yesterday, and being laughed at for changing my flowers to absurd meanings."

"What do you mean, Rosalie?" Esme asked quietly, hoping to defuse the situation.

"Mrs. Cullen, do you know what meaning striped carnations hold?" Rosalie snapped. Her tone made me angry, there was no reason for her to be rude to Esme.

"No, but they are lovely flowers aren't they?" _Edward, what have you done? _

"They mean a refusal. You send them to someone when you do not wish to be with them. Mr. Masen, do you want me to give the impression that I do not desire to marry Royce? Or that Royce does not desire me?"

I tried very hard not to laugh, waiting for her to start poking me in the chest.

"Who told you that is what they meant?" I asked, hoping to play off that I was superior to these so called girls. She was taken back a bit that I was not apologizing. She was sure that I would have conceded.

"One of the girls," she said, tilting her head up a little, pointing her nose in the air for dignity. Her thoughts turned to a hazy remembrance of an afternoon tea. In the room, the figures of other woman were blurs, obviously not important acquaintances for Rosalie if she couldn't even remember what they looked like.

"Which one of the girls? Does she have curly brunette hair?" I could only hope that I would find this hallucination from the flower shop through this woman, the only purpose I could see her holding in my life.

A light hearted chuckle sang to my senses, pulling my eyes away from Rosalie. The world slipped into a fog as I focused on a lone figure descending the church steps. Her light dress billowed around her from the wind, her wild mahogany curls floating around her head. There was a smile on her face, on Anna the witch's face. It was not the sly smirk I saw through the clerk's mind at the florist shop. It was a smile well deserving of a yellow tulip. She was approaching me, and my breath hitched in my chest. My arm started to reach toward her, wanting to see if she was a dream. I caught a hold of her dress hoping she would stop, so I could ask her why she was haunting me. She passed me without a glance, the silky fabric of her dress running through my fingertips like water. I turned my head to follow her not wanting to lose sight of her. I didn't want to lose her like I had lost Anna. Turning her head slightly, she caught me staring at her, locking her gaze with mine. The moment was fleeting. She broke the contact and slipped into the back of a car.

I wanted to run after the car but I was frozen in place. I was so close. The opportunity to talk to her, to learn more about her had slipped away. Anna, how could you be haunting me like this? Toying with my grief for you by dragging your character into my life.

_Edward, please pay attention. Rosalie is very upset. Are you alright? _Carlisle thought, trying to grab my focus. He laid a hand on my shoulder, turning me slightly to look at him. The pressure of his contact broke my control. I could no longer hide the hurt and devastation I felt from Anna's death. My body shook with a sob. The deconstruction of my body could only been seen by Carlisle and Esme, the movements far too minuscule to see with the human eye. My adopted parents looked at each other worried.

"Carlisle, take him back to the house. I will deal with Rosalie." Esme said quietly so only we could hear, squeezing my hand reassuringly. _It's alright, Edward. _

"My apologies, Ms. Hale, but you will have to excuse us." Carlisle wrapped his arm around my shoulders, trying to keep me together. The silent sobbing started to become more violent as we hurried down the street. After a few blocks, we crashed through the front door, into the sanctuary of our home. Carlisle ushered me over to a sofa and took a seat beside me.

"Edward, please explain to me what is going on?"

"I lost her," I whispered, clutching my broken heart. "I lost her again."

"Who did you lose, Edward? Helen?" Carlisle asked softly.

"Yes, no. Anna. She's haunting me. They both are." I choked out, covering my face with my hands. I was being punished for being a monster.

The front door opened and shut quietly with a slight breeze of air signaling Esme's arrival.

"I calmed Rosalie down as much as I could, but you will have to talk to her eventually, Edward." She walked into the room and took notice of our position, and the devastated wreck I must be in. Silently, she took the empty space on my left side.

"Who is Anna, Edward?" Carlisle tried to bring my thoughts back to the present. I needed to tell them. I needed to alleviate some of this grief and guilt off my chest.

"She was a girl in Charlotte, I saved her from a serial rapist." I started to tell our sad tale, every minute detail. The way she smelled, the bedtime stories she told her siblings, how her hair reflected the moonlight when I would walk her home from the bar. I told them everything. Each word floated away with the pain and anguish that was rotting my insides.

"And then I found her, the vampire had already killed her, drank her dry. I don't even know what I was thinking at the time. I was filled with rage, all hope of a happy life had left me when I heard the silence that came from her body. No thoughts, no breath, no heartbeat. I tore him apart. I killed him."

Esme gasped, but quickly recovered. She stroked my hair, trying to comfort me. She was reciting a children's rhyme, to keep her thoughts hidden. I was thankful, knowing full well that I couldn't handle any judgment.

"And now, a girl at the church looked exactly like her. She's haunting me." The sobs had stopped, but the aching agony of loss still throbbed.

"I'm sorry, Edward. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain you must be in right now." Carlisle finally spoke.

I nodded my head in appreciation and heaved myself off the couch, letting their embraces fall behind me. Taking a deep ragged breath, I swallowed my grief. Esme's attempt at blocking her thoughts stopped, as she exchanged a worried glance with Carlisle and prepared herself for another break-down.

I wasn't going to break down again, I promised myself. However, to accomplish that task I needed to get my mind off Anna. I was about to retreat back to my bedroom, to salvage a little bit of dignity, when my eyes fell on a piano in the far corner of the room. That hadn't been there before, had it? Have I been in that deep of a trance the last couple of months to not even notice the furniture?

_I picked that up after the flower shop. I was hoping you would change your mind about playing again. _Esme thought, following my gaze across the room.

Before I consciously made the decision to do so, I was striding across the room towards the instrument. I stood before it cautiously, wondering if I could open up that hole in my soul again. Could I handle the painful emotions that would come with playing? I let my fingers stroll across the ivory keys. With the simple scales, the pain in my heart flowed through my digits, and into the notes. The grief and depression I had been feeling were starting to be liberated. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on Anna. The scales shifted towards a bridge, and slowly into the song I played that went along with her Knight Edward and Anna the witch story.

The demon's started to fly away as I relieved that moment together. Anna the witch, I will find you and you will stop haunting my darkest days.

~*~*~

Thanks for reading! The ending I have to thank My Beloved for. She really helped me out. The original ended at Carlisle's line, which was pretty lame.


	12. Chapter 12

**I'm sorry for making you all wait so long for this chapter. The following things have happened since Chapter 11 : Final projects, flu (not swine), interviews, quit my job, got a new job, finals, and in 9 hours, I will be a college graduate. Woo!! **

**I hope you enjoy this chapter. Big cliffy at the end. :) **

**CHAPTER 12**

After my emotional breakdown, it was decided that I needed to keep myself busy. Luckily, the spring semester would be starting soon and would provide me a distraction. Carlisle had contacted his forger to make admittance papers for me to attend the University of Rochester as a premed student. I had not attended school since Esme had joined the family, but took the time since I experienced my hallucination at the church to brush up on my studies. The brunette resembling Anna as her witch character did not appear since that day, and I was unsuccessfully trying to push those images out of my head. I chalked it up to the change in diet. The switch to animal blood, however unappetizing, was still a better alternative to feasting on humans once again. But hallucinating didn't explain the soft feeling of her silk dress running through my fingers. Looking down at my hands, I could still feel the sensation through my nerve endings.

I had to admit I was a little excited for classes to begin. When I was human, I was almost to the age of attending university. Medical school was never in my plan. My father wanted me to go to law school, follow his path of success, but due to the war, my only option was to be drafted into the military. Now, I was following in another father's footsteps. The prospect of being able to contribute to my family and to society was liberating.

That first day of class, I sat in the back of the lecture hall, access to a quick exit if I needed to. Since these were first year classes, they were more lecture than practical. I was enrolled in the typical basics: literature, history, arithmetic and a general biology course. I would have to listen to the biology professor's mind to make sure there was no threat of being exposed to blood.

I scanned the lecture hall, listening to my peers to get an idea of the students I would be with this year. It was a bad habit from my years of hunting criminals, but would be useful for days I would need to miss class. My first class had been rudimentary, a literature course that had little to offer with the vast amount of reading I had done in Charlotte. Before I knew it, my last class of the day, European history, had breezed by and the students started to pack up their belongings. I had taken notes to look more human, carefully mimicking those around me, but I was sure I could learn more from Carlisle's life stories than I would from this professor. My excitement for classes quickly waned as I realized there would be a lot of pointless material to sit through until I reached the more intense coursework.

As I closed my textbook, I saw her. My hallucination sat in front of the classroom. She turned her head slightly for me to see her face, her hair shifting off her shoulder to fall in a curly cascade down her back. She caught my eye for a moment, smiling briefly. The group of boys in front of me stood up and blocked my view. I wanted to push them aside and speed down the hall steps to catch sight of her again. There were still no thoughts coming from where she had stood. I needed to find her, make sure she was real. Were the note and silk not enough to prove her existence?

By the time I gathered my things, she had disappeared once again. I rushed to the spot she was in, trying to catch a scent of her to track, hoping to find her that way. There was no scent, only that of the wooden desk and chairs. She had to be a figment of my imagination.

Everyday I attended class, I searched for her, but she did not show up again. I even went to the length of breaking into the professor's office to try and track down her name, but the roster sheet did not include this missing person. Everyone in the hall was accounted for. Finally, I broke down and asked Carlisle if he had ever heard of a vampire seeing things before.

"Seeing what exactly?" his eyebrows knit together in thought, a little worried. We were sitting in his office, and I had interrupted his paperwork. Carlisle would always drop what he was doing to help me out. I hoped to repay him someday for all his love and advice.

"People. I can't hear this girl's thoughts, there's no scent she leaves behind. She's crossed my path three times and all I have to show for it is a stupid note." I shoved the note at him. Frustrated, I let myself collapse into the chair across from his desk. He picked the note up carefully and read it. It was well worn, after countless times of me pulling it out of my pocket to analyze it, but I gathered no additional clues. The ink was starting to become faint, like my supposed sanity.

"What does she look like?" Carlisle was actually interested in helping me. I knew of all people that could understand, it would be him. He liked to believe Fate had something up her sleeve for me, just as she had for him and Esme. Treat a girl for a broken leg, and a decade later she becomes the love of your eternal life.

"Curly brown hair, average height. Average everything actually. She looks like Anna but with long hair." After my intense recounting of my history with Anna, he should surely be able to picture this girl.

_I'm sorry you lost her, Edward. She sounded like a wonderful person. _

"You don't think she was changed do you?" I asked anxiously, leaning forward in my chair. "Maybe the vampire didn't drink all of her blood." I could hear the desperation in my own voice.

"I'm afraid not, Edward. Her hair would have stayed the same, and we have a distinct scent." _You said there was no heartbeat when you found her in the park. _

"No, there was no heartbeat." I sighed and leaned back against the chair. He promised he would keep an eye out for her at the hospital. Silently, he voiced his intrigue with the idea of someone not giving off a scent or a voice for me to hear. I was about to shoot him a look of disgust, but if his never ending quest for knowledge helped me find this girl, I could live with it.

I tried to forget about Anna, throwing myself into my studies and my compositions to keep my mind off the overwhelming grief. I hoped it would be enough of a distraction. I never went back to the church or the flower shop, both known places of where she had once been. However, Fate was cruel and just when I would think I was getting over Anna, letting those memories slip from my mind, Anna the witch would pop up and remind me of what was gone.

She would always come unexpectedly, and never in the same place. Passing a shop window as I ran errands with Esme. Walking down the street after returning from class. It went on like this for two years without me getting any closer to her than that fateful day at the church. One night I was in the university's library doing last minute research for a final term paper when I felt the air around me stir. I looked up from the book and saw an arm reaching out to grab another text off the shelves. I thought nothing of it, just another student taking advantage of the late night library hours before finals.

"Pardon me," a sweet murmur passed over my ears. I was about to look away, go back to my research when I realized there was no inner voice coming from the space beside me. No musings of research or stressful thoughts of the semester ending. My head reacted so fast, the action would have caused a human whiplash. There she stood, in all her imagined glory. Anna the witch shot me a puzzled look as I analyzed her carefully. The shock of being this close to her had paralyzed me.

"Are you alright?" she asked, wrapping her arms around the book she pulled from the shelf. My mind drifted back to the day I found out Anna was a librarian, and how ridiculous that meeting had gone. I wanted to answer her, but my vocal cords were not cooperating. My hand started to inch towards her, carefully touching the skin on her arm. It was warm and soft, and pimpled where my cold fingers brushed. She was a real girl. Not a mirage of lovers past.

"Why are you haunting me, Anna?" My voice was strained from pain and wanting. I wanted Anna back. I wanted Helen. I wanted to live a life without grieving and anguish.

"What are you talking about?" Her voice betrayed her, laced with fear. I let my hand drop to my side in defeat. She wasn't Anna. She was just another girl, a human girl that would eventually die. Turning away, I decided against the additional research.

"Wait," she called out. I forced myself to keep moving. Looking back would only make leaving that much harder.

When I approached home, the thoughts streaming from my parents were alarming. Not worrying about people spotting me, I ran at vampire speed into the house. Two strong smells lingered together as I burst into Carlisle's office: bleach and human blood. The wooden door banged against the wall as I entered, startling Carlisle and Esme. They both raised their heads at the noise. I looked past the two of them to see a broken and bloody body lying on his desk.

"What have you done?"

~*~*~

**Thanks for reading! Please review and answer the following questions if you don't mind. **

**1. Are the chapters too short? **

**2. Are there any scenes that you would like to see "Outtakes" on? Maybe a different characters point of view or an expansion? **

**Chapter 13 is half way written, and hopefully will not take 3 weeks to get done. **


	13. Chapter 13

**PLEASE READ THE AUTHORS NOTE AT THE END! Enjoy the chapter!**

**~*~*~***

**CHAPTER 13**

I watched my parents with disbelief. A dying girl was lying on the table, her body mangled beyond recognition. Carlisle handed Esme the blood soaked gauze and started to approach me. I could see that she was struggling with the potency of the girl's blood, holding her breath tightly. In her mind, she was singing church hymns.

"Edward, I need to save her," Carlisle said softly, laying a hand on my shoulder. "I found her in an alley, left to die by her attackers." I tore my eyes off Esme and the dying girl to scowl at Carlisle.

"You can't change every dying human that you come across!" I shouted, pushing his hand away. "You can't sentence everyone to this life."

"Please, listen to me," he paused long enough for me to force the glare away from my face. "She has great potential for a full life. She has fought hard for her life for this long. Someone without her strength would have died hours ago. I've tried to bandage and brace her wounds, but the damage is beyond repair unless…" He dropped the end of the sentence, letting me fill in the blanks. Unless he changed her. In his thoughts he sent me images of how he found her.

"How are you going to keep her silent? Remember how loud Esme screamed and hollered? We live in the middle of a godforsaken city! The police will be at our door the moment she starts to change."

"There is a cottage in the woods about 10 miles from town that Esme and I like to frequent on the sunny days. We will take her there while she changes. Once she is under control, we will relocate and restart our lives." He told me calmly. How could he be calm under these circumstances?

"And it won't be suspicious at all if our entire family disappears the same night this girl vanishes," I snapped. I thought Carlisle would have better sense than this. When he changed Esme, he continued to work in the hospital at night. I would stay with her during that time, luckily a long weekend from classes. He could give his notice before we changed locations. But when Esme changed, she at least had a calming demeanor for a newborn, traits left over from her human existence. There was no telling what kind of newborn this girl would be. I tried to look past Carlisle again at the body on the table, but he stepped in front of me to block my view.

"You will continue classes; you only have a few days left before the end of the semester. I will tell the hospital that there is a sickness in your family, and Esme will stay at the cabin while the girl changes. When I'm not working, I'll be with her, and when you're not in class, I expect you to do the same. We will wrap up any loose ends in the next two days and then leave."

Apparently he had spent more time thinking about this than I previously thought. It made me start to wonder if he had grand plans of extending our family before this very night. I was trying to bring up any type of doubt out of Carlisle, make him change his mind, but he seemed to have already thought of everything.

"Can we handle a new born? Esme was mild from stories we've heard from other covens."

"I'm sure she'll be fine. Do you approve of me saving her?" His eyes and thoughts were full of hope.

"If I'm not, will that change your decision?" I asked, a little concerned as to what his answer would be.

"Edward, I love you and would never do anything that would cause you pain or discomfort. If you do not want me to change her, I will try to heal her the best I can, and let her finish her remaining hours in comfort."

I took my time to answer, mulling over the thoughts I had myself, and the ones pouring in from Esme and Carlisle. However, I knew they were carefully selecting what they would let me hear. When they were determined, they could successfully block me out. The shallow breathing and sporadic heart beat of the girl were the only sounds in our home.

"Do what you must." I finally decided, turning away from the two of them. I still had my paper to finish. Retreating to my room, I would leave it up to my adoptive parents to save this girl. I would not be part of taking another human life.

"Carlisle," Esme called. "She's stirring."

_Thank you, son. _Carlisle thought before turning back to his wife and soon to be addition to our family. I left his office and went to my room to write, however I was still within hearing distance.

"Rosalie, can you hear me?" Carlisle asked the girl. Rage boiled in my body. No, I must have heard him wrong. He couldn't possibly be changing the most well known individual in this town. Our heads would be served on a fiery platter if we were found out.

"Rosalie Hale! You cannot be serious!" I shouted across the house. Esme's quick patter of footsteps proceeded down the hallway to my room. Her church hymns had stopped, and started to reprimand me for being rude.

"Hush, Edward. This girl deserves a second chance. She had been raped and beaten when your father found her."

"Maybe if she didn't flaunt herself around town, she…" I didn't finish because the sharp sting of Esme's hand across my face stopped my words mid sentence. We both looked at her hand in shock. Esme had never been the physical type when it came to anger. This action had surprised her as well. I quickly caught a flash of a memory in her mind, of her former husband Charles. He was forcing himself upon her, before Esme forced the thought out of her mind.

"I hope I will never hear you utter those words again. No one deserves that." _And_ _I apologize for hitting you. _Esme turned on her heel and went back to Carlisle's office to help with the preparations to move her body.

I stayed behind in the house as they took Rosalie to the cabin. I was unable to bring myself to face Esme or Carlisle again. I was ashamed that I insulted the one woman in this life that had never disappointed me. In truth, I never wished for a woman to have to go through that, to have a person take her virtue against her wishes. I felt sorry for Rosalie, even though she was the vainest person I have met to date. She did not deserve this hand Fate dealt her, and neither did Esme. Esme had never discussed her life with Charles to me. Once she was changed, Carlisle was the most important person in her life. Nothing else outside of their love seemed to matter. On the anniversary of her child's death, she would reminisce about her baby and time while pregnant but I had never witnessed a thought about her husband.

I neglected my paper that night. I was too worried about what I had done to upset Esme and wondering how I could make it amends. Glancing out my window, I saw the sky was starting to lighten. I had to get ready for class and to set our charade in motion.

Around Rochester, news of Rosalie's disappearance had already spread. Her father had raised the alert last night when she didn't come home. Thoughts of the townspeople were buzzing with the gossip, giving me a headache. Even in class, that was all people could think about.

"Heard she was visiting a friend," one would whisper to another.

"Royce is not at the bank today. He must be out searching for her."

Her fiancé. There will be so much she has to leave behind in Rochester. Will she willingly stay with us after the change is complete? What wrath am I going to face from her once she sees me? Would she be able to handle never seeing her family again?

When Carlisle had changed me, I had nothing left. My parents were dead, Helen was dead, and all I had was a vampire doctor telling me what I had become. The stream of his thoughts was terrifying once I discovered that they weren't being spoken aloud. I was a scared teenager with no other options than accepting Carlisle's way of life. Rosalie, however, had everything: a loving family, good friends, a fiancé, a wedding in the works. Even though Carlisle was saving her life by changing her, would that life be something she wanted.

As I walked to the register's office to withdraw from the fall semester, I pondered how Rosalie found herself in an alley last night as it was. Anna was the only woman I knew that allowed herself to go out without an escort, and that ended as tragically as Rosalie's life had. Were the men in the world such monsters to target any young girl on her own? Chivalry really was dead.

News of our departure spread almost as quickly as Rosalie's disappearance. Fortunately, the only reason I knew this was through passerby's thoughts on my way back to the house. No one had approached me with questions. The faculty at the university accepted my withdrawal without a word.

"Edward?" I heard Carlisle ask as I opened the front door.

"Yes, it's me." Who else would it be? Carlisle started to descend the staircase as I set my text books on the end table.

"Did you take care of everything at school?" He asked, trying to hide his emotions. It was such a simple question to ask when our lives were about to be uprooted.

"Yes, are you on your way to the hospital?"

"Indeed. I have already notified them about our departure."

I finally bit the bullet and brought up what neither one of us were willing to say. "How is Rosalie?"

Carlisle smiled and noticeably relaxed. "Good. It seems to be going much better than yours had. She's very strong and holds in the screams as much as she can. She's a very beautiful girl."

"Yes, when she's not a wrathful harpy, I'm sure."

Carlisle rolled his eyes at my tone. "There is no need for sarcasm, Edward. Now, would you mind going to the cabin and giving Esme a break? She needs to go hunting."

"Of course, just point me in the direction I need to head." I would try to make this work, for all of us. Carlisle's trail was still fresh, the distinct smell of a vampire leading me the way to the little cabin. From the exterior, I could see Esme's passion for antiquities. It was a quaint little log structure with flower gardens around the perimeter, so far off the beaten path; no one would be able to find this place unless they were actively looking for it. Somewhere no one could hear you scream. Or hear Rosalie scream as the case may be. I knew I had arrived at the right place, with her shrieking and the vampiric sent soaking the grounds.

Esme looked up and smiled at me as I walked in. Ever the passionately loving mother, unable to hold a grudge.

_Hello, Edward_. She placed a cool hand on Rosalie's cheek before getting up to greet me.

"Esme," I said softly, trying to find the right words. She smiled again before wrapping her arms around me.

"It's alright, Edward. I know this is hard for you, seeing as you and Rosalie have not had any warm feelings between each other. But hopefully that will change."

"That gave me no right to be rude. I had no clue what had happened between you and your former husband. I should have shown a little more sympathy, especially after all that I experienced with Anna." In Esme's mind, I could tell that I was already forgiven, and that she hoped I too could forgive her for slapping me.

"Of course, Esme. It knocked some sense into me."

"Do you mind staying with Rosalie while I hunt? I also want to stop by the house and gather some of our belongings before we leave."

I bowed my head in compliance, opening the door for her to leave. _Thank you, Edward. _

I took the seat that Esme just vacated, and watched Rosalie carefully. She was cringing in pain, letting a gasping moan and scream out every few minutes. In turn, I concentrated on her thoughts, trying to see if there was anything I could pull from her mind. During her change, Rosalie only concentrated on one thing. It was not on the intense pain she was experiencing, or the thoughts of dying. It was on her attackers. Her fiancé and his friends had done this to her. Over and over she would repeat the events that night, each gory detail completely analyzed. Where had she gone wrong in her life to deserve that?

"You did not deserve that, Rosalie. Believe me." I squeezed her hand in reassurance, feeling a bond with her. She returned the pressure and let out another scream of pain.

~*~*~

I hope you enjoyed this update. Now, I have the first outtake written "Afternoon Tea" with Rosalie's POV when she finds out the real meaning behind her flower arrangements. But I'm going to have a little bargaining with you all. If I get to 100 reviews (IE: 11 more) before Friday, I will post it right away. If not, it will have to wait until after June 6th, when I come back from Arizona. So please review! And recommend this story to friends. :) I encourage you all to go to the Twilighted forums and check out the Review For Review thread. There are a lot of talented writers on there. :)


	14. Chapter 14

A:N/ Thanks for coming back! Here's the real Chapter 14. I hope you enjoy it. I'd really appreciate some feedback on here, because I think this chapter is lacking a little something. If you would like to help with suggestions, please leave it in a review!

~*~*~*`

Three days after her disappearance, Rosalie Hale was part of the Cullen family. Two months after that I found myself sitting outside of a bank in the getaway car, wondering just what I had gotten myself into. I felt like I owed something to Rosalie. Helping her get her revenge was just one way of paying her back. When Carlisle decided to change her, I am sure this is not what he had thought he was signing up for.

Rosalie's introduction to our family was anything but pleasant. She was very suspicious of us and rude when Carlisle tried to explain our histories to her. But it was also the first time I could say she was vulnerable. Her brilliant red eyes were cloudy with sadness.

She accepted our vegetarianism without spoken protest. In her mind she questioned it, wondering what kind of silly monsters we were, thinking we were humanitarians.

"We want to be as normal as our circumstances allow. There is no reason for us to feast upon humans when there is a humane alternative." I answered her. She raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow at me. In her vampire orientation, Carlisle had explained my gift to her.

_And have you ever tasted human blood? _

"Yes, it is not something I am proud of."

She contemplated this silently. I should have been tipped off then. She was stubborn. Everything we taught her, she seemed to think she needed to be the best at it. While hunting, she would bring down her prey first and be the cleanest. In my wildest dreams I couldn't have realized that this was all in her plan. She hid it from me, catching on quickly of ways to keep me out of her head. Whenever she would start to analyze her looks in the mirror, bringing her vanity from her human life, I would tune her out, switching frequencies to the more intellectual thoughts of my parents.

"I need a favor from you," she approached me. It was two months after her change, and she had adjusted quiet well into our lifestyle. We moved to the mountains of Virginia, far from civilization to help her tame her thirst. Her eyes were slowly becoming a murky burgundy. I stopped playing my piano and met those eyes.

"I do not believe I owe you any favors," I said coldly. We got along as well as fighting frogs.

"Oh, but I believe you do." She started to replay the florist scene, how I had convinced her to change her wedding flowers, then flashed to while she was on the desk in our Rochester home, how I had offended her once I realized it was her that was being changed. The scene shifted again, but it wasn't a memory. It was what she was planning all along. Her revenge. I tried to close my mind from her, but there was nothing around to distract me. Esme and Carlisle had left for some "alone time", both complaining of imaginary headaches from Rosalie and I constantly bickering.

"Why do you want my help? Carlisle will not approve."

"Let us call it a family bonding moment. Esme filled me in on your history with that human girl in Charlotte. You got your revenge, why should I not get mine?" Her smirk was cruel and sadistic.

"But killing all of those men?"

"They defiled my body and left me to die. I do not plan on draining them of their blood. I would never allow that foulness to touch my lips." _Never again will their fluids enter my body. _

I bowed my head while I let her words and thoughts absorb my mind.

"Why do you need me to go?"

"While I believe I have been quite successful as a newborn, I want someone there with me to make sure I do not stray off the beaten path." Her words didn't match her thoughts. She was afraid she would get the sudden urge to visit her family. She pictured herself crashing dinner and scaring her younger brothers, or heaven forbid, bite one of them.

"Fine."

We drove through the night and into the next morning to Rochester. Along the way, Rosalie acquired a wedding dress. In her mind, I saw what she was planning on doing with it which saved me from asking the question. Once in town, she left a dozen roses on his doorstep with a note letting him know that his death was awaiting him.

I sat in the car while she enacted her revenge. I listened to every one of their dying thoughts and saw Royce cowering in his safe. She was very…dramatic, each step by been meticulously planned in her mind. One by one she killed her rapists, slowly building up to the suspense of getting the ring leader. I closed my eyes and tried to block this one from my mind. I felt like it needed to be a private moment for her. I didn't open them until I heard the car door shut.

"Ready to go back to Virginia?" I asked, starting the car.

"Can we make one more stop?" She asked in a quivering voice. She started to picture a house up the street, one I was quite familiar with.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

_I've killed enough people tonight. I won't be any harm to them_.

"I'm not worried about you harming your family. I'm worried about you exposing yourself to get closure."

"I wasn't planning on leaving the car. I just want to hear their voices one last time."

Against my better judgment, I complied. I pulled out front of their house, turning the engine and lights off before coasting to a stop. True to her word, Rosalie stayed in the car. She watched the house silently, listening to her mother tell her younger brothers a bedtime story. I thought back to the stories I had eavesdropped on a long time ago. I wondered how Anna's siblings were doing without their sister.

"Alright, we can go now." Her voice broke in sobs as we left Rochester.

We sat silently in the car, I staring straight ahead, and Rosalie watching out the passenger side window. Her thoughts were replaying the deaths of her attackers, but there was no sense of satisfaction. She still did not want this eternal life. It had made her powerful, but it could not replace what she lost. Her virginity, her family, her future.

"Rosalie," I whispered, trying to get her to say something.

"What?" It was an emotionless response. She still wouldn't tear her eyes away from the river running parallel to us. The moon was glistening on the broken surface of the waves. Turmoil.

"I want to apologize for the flower incident. I was being cruel, and self righteous. You must realize that this special talent of mine is very hard to live with, and has made me a jaded individual. But what I did was uncalled for. I'm sorry."

Rosalie gave a little laugh and shook her head. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the seat. "Why are you bringing that up now?"

"Because now that I can see what you're capable of I never want to be at the receiving end of your fury."

And that was the first time I had seem Rosalie smile an honest smile since she had been turned into a vampire.

"Just take us home, Edward."

~*~*~

Thanks for reading! Please leave your thoughts, they are very appreciated. Also, if anyone is interested in BETAing for me, let me know. :)

P.S. If anyone is a member of the Twilighted Forums, there is now a thread dedicated to this story. Thanks Artemis!


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry this has taken so long. Real life has been getting the in way for me and my betas. I want to send out a big THANK YOU to MyBeloved for finding time in her ridiculously busy schedule to beta this for me. You're a true doll. :) **

**Chapter 15**

After Rosalie's revenge, we returned to our home in Virginia to face the consequences from our parents. We sat on the couch in front of Carlisle and Esme, wondering who was going to speak first. Rosalie had her hands folded her in lap, staring down at them instead of looking into the concerned eyes that watched her. For now, my ability was a blessing. They were watching us with a range of emotions and thoughts. Rosalie

_I just don't understand. I realize that what she had gone through was monstrous, but to murder all of those men. _Carlisle thought, disregarding the fact that I could hear all of his thoughts.

_Poor Rosalie, _Esme gushed, placing her hand against her own heart. _I wish Carlisle would say something. I know he's upset, but they are still children. They need to make mistakes or they'll never learn._

_I know I had wished Edward and Rosalie would bond, but a passionate relationship cannot be healthy if the bond is formed over another's death. _

"A what relationship?" My eyes bulged at my father's revelation. Rosalie raised her head and watched me. Carlisle, realizing his mistake, quickly regained his control.

"Rosalie," he tried to change the subject, "while I do not condone violence on humans, I understand that you needed to do this for closure. I hope you will continue living with our family, and sharing in our values for human life."

"What relationship, Carlisle?" I growled. I wanted to probe his mind, but I could only hear the present.

_Edward, can we discuss this later? _

"No, Rosalie should hear this too. What did you mean by a passionate relationship?"

At the mention of passion, Rosalie perked up, darting her eyes between Carlisle and I.

_Passion? Is he trying to say that Edward and I should be romantically involved? _

"Say it out loud, Rosalie. Let him know what you're thinking too."

"Did you bring me into this family to be Edward's mate?" Rosalie sounded surprised, but in her head I knew she was picturing us, trying to see if it worked. So many mixed emotions and visions were crossing her mind. Her rage at me for tricking her with the flowers, and her slight forgiveness after helping her with her revenge, she didn't know how she felt about me.

"No, Rosalie, that is not the reason why I brought you here. I knew from the few chance meetings we have had around town that you had a full life to live, I wanted to give you that opportunity. However, I will not deny that the thought did not cross my mind afterwards. I was hoping that the two of you could give each other the happiness that Esme gives me every day." Carlisle squeezed his wife's hand and looked lovingly into her eyes. I thought I was going to be ill.

"I have never, and will never have feelings for this shallow girl." I stood up and pointed at her accusingly. "You can't find a mate that easily, Carlisle. You waited 10 years before you found Esme again, and if it wasn't for her marrying a cruel man, you never would have met her again. You can't expect to just throw two people together, and hope some mutual feelings stick together to form love. It doesn't work that way!" I stormed out of the house and ran for the woods. Hunting, that's what I needed.

I ran for a long time in a nameless direction before I discovered that my heart and mind had taken control of my limbs. The rain had started long before I stopped in that dingy cemetery but it was not until I found myself in front of her grave that I noticed the raindrops dripping into my eyes.

_Anna Lynne Brady _

_Loving Sister and Friend _

_April 4, 1911 – November 7, 1931_

I collapsed on the ground, staring at the words that were meant to sum up her entire life. The future world would never know of her storytelling or being an amateur seamstress. Or that she was loved by a vampire, and killed by a vampire.

"What am I suppose to do Anna?" I whispered, feeling the stream of moisture run down my face. I pretended they were tears to go along with the sobs coursing through my body. "I was ready to give you everything I could. I wanted to be happy with you. I wanted to hear you say you felt for me as I felt for you. Why did you haunt me with that girl? Letting me get that close to her just to take her away. Are you up there with Helen, laughing at my expense?"

Of course they weren't. They were both kind hearted, loving girls. They saw me as I had seen them. I wanted to believe in Carlisle's idea of Heaven, and that God would welcome us with open arms. I could imagine the two of them sitting at a tea table made of clouds, sharing their stories about me and their lives. My imagination had been a desirable escape but had left me startled once I realized I was not alone.

_Son of a bitch. I was hoping he was smart enough to never step foot in this town again. _

The sound of the Chief's gun cocking ricocheted off the graves. I stood up quickly and raised my arms in the air to show I was unarmed.

"Please, do not shoot me." My back was facing him, so I couldn't see his face. I did not fear for my life, only his. If he shot me, the bullet had the chance of reflecting off me and back at him. I didn't want Anna's siblings to lose another person in their life.

"Should have thought about that before you killed Anna," I could hear him stepping closer to me. In his mind, I saw that he wanted to shoot me point blank. _I'm going to take his life. No one will even know he's gone. _

"I didn't kill, Anna!" I shouted. "I loved her!" The sobs returned, causing my body to collapse to the ground again. He was shocked at this sudden display of emotions. Shortly, I felt his warm hand on my shoulder.

"Come on, son. We'll get you out of the rain."

In the paddy wagon on our way back to town, Harry ran over every detail of my appearance with scrutiny. My clothes were dirty and torn from running blindly through the forests of Virginia and North Carolina. The grief had taken a toll on my stone facial structure because the Chief at least believed me that I didn't kill Anna. It could have just been the permanent shadows around my eye sockets. I stared silently out of the passenger side window as we approached the building Anna had lived in. I remembered running up those steps in euphoria on my last night in Charlotte.

"You gonna come upstairs, kid?"

I turned my head slowly to watch the Chief. Moments ago, he was going to kill me. Now he was offering for me to come inside and have tea. Nodding my head as an acceptance, I followed him up those cursed stairs. Each step brought another painful memory.

"Harry?" A gray haired head popped out around the door as we ascended. "I was wondering where you were…" Mary took sight of me, her lips forming a small 'o'.

"Stay inside, Mary. Keep the kids in there too," Harry said gruffly.

"Is everything alright?" She gave me a kind smile, obviously recognizing me and the pain I was currently in.

"Go inside, Mary." Short and sweet. The conversation ended with a snap of the door closing. I could hear her mother henning the children, and silently worrying about me and her husband.

"Have you been here before, Piano Man?" Harry asked, turning to the door of Anna's apartment.

"Edward. My name is Edward." The nickname was getting tiresome. "Yes, the night she died."

Harry opened the door and stepped inside. I stood out in the hallway, willing my body to step across the threshold. Come on, Edward. It's only a few steps. My curious side started to take over. I had never actually been in her apartment myself, just through her mind. The place didn't look the same as it had while Anna lived. It seemed to be used for storage now, while I'm sure the kids were living with Mary and Harry in their apartment. The kitchen table remained with the well loved chairs.

"Do you want anything to drink?" This must be what they call Southern hospitality. I was still bewildered at this man's actions. Originally planned on shooting me in the back of my head, and now he was offering me a drink.

"I'm fine, thank you for the offer." He pulled one of the wobbly chairs out for me and then proceeded to sit across from me at the table. He was thinking about Anna and trying to remember any times he saw us together.

"Sit." His voice was now strong and commanding. He watched me carefully as I sat down, memories still running through his thoughts. Pictures of Anna being happy and carefree. Flashes of finding her body in the park. I closed my eyes at that one and felt my breath hitch in my chest.

"Why did you run that night?" His first inquiry of a dozen questions that were now crossing his mind. There were many reasons why I left.

"I killed her murderer." That was not the answer he was expecting. His eyes bulged at my revelation. "I found him in the park, standing over her body. So I killed him." He took notice of my nonchalance, and was waiting for me to shrug my shoulders and smile.

"Have you killed before?" The words came slowly. He was trying to assess the severity of the situation. He thought for a moment about his loving wife and Anna's siblings across the hall. _They can't take another loss. _

"Yes, I also killed her father's murderer." My tone was flat.

"She told you about that?" He was shocked more. _I didn't think she talked about that to anyone._

"Yes." I was sick of this inquisition. I wanted to be able to wallow in my grief alone. I needed to get past this stage and move on to acceptance. I was never going to have her or anyone else for that matter.

"I guess I misjudged your relationship. She was never really one to open up to others. Stubborn mule when it came to asking for help." He crossed his arms over his chest and stared me down. "What were you to her?"

Her knight in shining armor, I thought. "Just a friend, though I was coming here that night to ask her to be more. I wanted to spend my life with her."

"I wouldn't have allowed that." He tried to appear intimidating.

"I know, Sir, and I thank you for being there for her and her family. She deserved someone better than me." We sat silently for a moment, letting the awkwardness of this conversation pour over both of us.

"She thought very highly of you," _I still don't understand why. Kid's a murderer. _"I knew when she was thinking of you, because a little smile would dance on her lips. The only time I didn't see her stressed out over the young'ns or her parents. I'd catch her humming some of your songs while she was doing the dishes."

Whenever I had been with Anna, she would not think about her feelings for me. I never knew how she had felt about me, other than through the story of her Knight and the Witch.

"I thought highly of her also. She was a strong girl. I wish she could have lived a full life."

"We all do, son. We all do." Harry started to get teary eyed. I need to leave. I couldn't stand the flooding of thoughts from him. My own grief was more than enough to handle, I did not need his on top of it.

"I should probably be on my way. I did not realize how late it had become." I started to push myself away from the table when he laid a hand on my arm. Once he touched the cold skin, he pulled away instinctively.

_This boy is freezing to death. _"Can you just tell me one thing, Son?"

"Anything, Sir."

"Were you there when she died?" His tone was heartbreaking.

"I wish I was there to save her, Sir. But I know she went swiftly and painlessly." I bowed my head, not wanting to meet his sad eyes.

"Thank you, Son." His memories started to flood back through his mind. It was my signal to excuse myself and go back home. I wasn't sure what was awaiting me in my absence, but I was hopeful that my suffocating grief would stay in Charlotte.

**Thank you for reading! Please leave a review, and if you haven't checked it out yet, go read the Outtakes for Fate is a Cruel Harpy. You can find them on my profile. :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

I made my way back home at a leisurely pace, contemplating exactly how I was going to face my parents after my little outburst. I had not been kind to them or to Rosalie. The closer I got to the house, their faint whisper of thoughts started to come into my mind. Carlisle was expressing remorse of how that conversation had happened. He had only hoped for the two of us to find happiness, as any typical parent would. Esme was wishing I would come home, and as much as she loved Rosalie, she did not want this situation to cause a strife in our family.

Then, there was Rosalie. Per usual, she was checking out her appearance in the mirror, sitting before her vanity in quiet thoughts. She was trying to imagine herself and myself in a relationship, a couple, with me fawning over her every inch and action. The thought made both of us feel quite sick.

_I know I'm gorgeous, but why doesn't he see me that way? _ She laid down the brush and sighed. I had never known her to have doubts. _Well, maybe he'll start to see me that way after he sees what I did to his precious car. _

My car? While anxiousness at facing my family had slowed my arrival, this was just the action I needed to force my pace. I sprinted towards the garage. After seeing how she handled her attackers, I was worried of what she was capable of doing to my car.

The crime scene was worse than that of Rochester. The engine and drive train were disassembled, piece by piece, on the cement floor. The upholstery was ripped apart, venom still shimmering along the edges where she had used her teeth. My Volvo had been massacred.

_He always looked at that car like it was Aphrodite. Maybe if I was a sleek model of Swedish engineering. _

"ROSALIE HALE! I'm going to murder you!" I shouted, digging my finger tips into the already ruined sheet metal.

_I'm already dead, idiot. _ She gave herself one last glance in the mirror, I assumed for my sake. The grin she had was spiteful. _You deserve it. _

"I did not deserve this! How could you destroy my car?" I was still shouting and growling, holding a conversation with an evil wench two stories above my head. The argument attracted the attention of Carlisle.

_I guess that's where that metallic noise was coming from. _Carlisle mused, trying to hide her amusement from me. I growled at him until he laid a hand on my shoulder to calm me down.

"Rosalie, would you please come down here for a moment." His voice was about as soothing to my temper as sandpaper._ This will get resolved. _

"You heard him threaten me. I'm not going near him."

So many ugly and disgraceful words came to mind in response, and I was fortunate that the only vampire in this family to read minds was myself.

"Rosalie, come down. Edward is not going to hurt you."

"Would you like to bet on that?" I muttered, only loud enough for Carlisle to hear. He shot me a look before we both heard Rosalie begin to descend the staircase. _Behave yourself. _

The harpy came outside with a skip in her step, quite pleased with herself that she got a rise out of me.

"Hello, Edward. Did you have a nice trip?" _Where did you go anyway? _

I growled, clenching my fists.

_Stop growling, Edward. You are not a dog. _Carlisle thought before turning to Rosalie.

"Rosalie, dear, why did you dismantle Edward's car?"

"Because of what he said about me. He hurt me, so I wanted to hurt him. Since he's indestructible, I hurt the one thing he loves." _The only thing he loves. _

"How childish of you." I sneered. She narrowed her eyes at me. _ If they weren't standing right here, I would claw your eyes out of the sockets. _

"You're going to apologize to Edward, and then fix his car." This statement came as a surprise to the both of us.

"Fix it?" Rosalie questioned, wondering if she heard him right. "He can buy a new one."

Carlisle smiled and reached into my tattered car to retrieve a book.

"No, you will not learn your lesson that way. You two need to treat each other with respect." Carlisle handed her the owner's manual. "You will fix his car until it runs better than it had."

"I don't know the first thing about cars or being a mechanic." She pouted, looking through the pages of the manual.

"If a human can learn the trade, so can you. You have the advantage of crystal clear vision, vast intelligence and eight extra hours a day."

"And what's Edward's punishment?"

"He's going to be your assistant, and I hope you both will spend time with one another without arguing."

Carlisle was forever the optimist. No one was surprised that this wish did not come true.

"That is not part of the engine."

"Yes it is, Edward. Just hand me the wrench." It had been two weeks since our sentenced punishments, and the car was no closer to being put back together from that first day.

"I'm telling you, it doesn't go there. It should be in the pile over here with the transmission."

_If you do not stop talking, I am going to stick your gear shift somewhere no one will find it. _

"That's very unbecoming of a young lady." I scoffed, trying to block out her mental images of the location the gear shift was going to be hidden. She set down the part she was working on and walked over to our newly acquired tool box. Picking up the wrench she desired, she tested the weight of the tool in her hand. I only had seconds to duck before it went whizzing by my head.

"Very mature, Rosalie."

She took a deep breath before turning to face me.

"I need a break. I am going to go hunting."

"By yourself? Do you think that's wise?"

"Well, I'm definitely not going with you, and Esme and Carlisle disappeared last night after our screaming match. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself." With that, she sprinted off in the woods, heading south.

Picking up the piece she left behind, I examined it carefully against the diagram. She was right, it was part of the engine. I looked towards the direction she had headed in, wondering if I should be the bigger man and apologize. She needed to cool off, and I should respect her space. For now, I was going to play the piano, and worry about apologies later. The song I had written for Anna's story had been flowing through my mind since I came back from Charlotte. It was a lighter tune now, the weight of grief had finally been lifted from my shoulders. I felt like I could live in peace, and be able to remember her without the pain.

"Edward? Rosalie?" The front door opened and Carlisle and Esme entered the living room, looking around cautiously. Glancing at the grandfather clock in the hallway, I saw that I had been seated at my piano for hours without realizing the time that had passed.

"How was your time away?" I asked, closing the cover on the piano.

"Relaxing, and quiet." Carlisle smiled. "Speaking of quiet, where is Rosalie?"

"She got angry at me and went hunting."

"By herself? How long ago?"

_EDWARD! Edward help!_ Her voice pierced through my skull. I turned my focus towards her thoughts. She was running through the woods, the blur of green and brown rushing past her.

_Edward! Get Carlisle, and get his study ready. _ His study? Before I had time to really ponder what she was requesting, her eyes lowered and showed me what she was carrying. A mauled and bloody body.


End file.
